Li Furong (simplified Chinese: 李富荣; traditional Chinese: 李富榮; pinyin: Lǐ Fùróng; Wade–Giles: Li Fu-jung; born 1942 in Shanghai, China) is a Chinese male table tennis player.[1] He was a native of Zhejiang province starting to play table tennis at 15 and joined the national team in 1959.[2] Li helped the Chinese men's team win four team titles at the World Table Tennis Championships in 1961, 1963, 1965 and 1971.[3] In men's singles competitions, he made 3 consecutive appearances at the finals of the World Championships in 1961, 1963, and 1965. However, Li lost to compatriot Zhuang Zedong in all of the three finals, making himself become one of four players who played in three finals without winning (together with Hungarian Laszlo Bellak, Polish Alojzy Ehrlich and countryman Ma Lin).[4] Rumor had it that Li's losses at the finals were prearranged.[5][6] The 1961 Championships was referred as the commencement of match fixing in history of Chinese table tennis.[7]

1965-7. 1965 28th World Championship Li Furong
Li Furong
Native name李富荣
Full nameLI Furong/LI Fu-Jung
Nationality China
Born1942
Shanghai, China
Medal record
Men's table tennis
Representing  China
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1971 Nagoya Team
Silver medal – second place 1965 Ljubljana Singles
Bronze medal – third place 1965 Ljubljana Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1965 Ljubljana Team
Silver medal – second place 1963 Prague Singles
Bronze medal – third place 1963 Prague Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1963 Prague Team
Silver medal – second place 1961 Beijing Singles
Bronze medal – third place 1961 Beijing Doubles
Silver medal – second place 1961 Beijing Mixed Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1961 Beijing Team

In 1999, Li was inducted into the ITTF Hall of Fame.[8] Li became the president of Asian Table Tennis Union (ATTU) in 2001.[2] The post was succeeded by Cai Zhenhua in 2009 and Li was awarded the ATTU Honorary Life President in 2010.[9]

References edit

  1. ^ Ai Lu (11 November 2010). "10 of Shanghai's best sporting superstars". CNNGo.com. Archived from the original on 24 August 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  2. ^ a b "Li Furong re-elected as ATTU president". Xinhua. 31 August 2005. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  3. ^ "LI Furong/LI Fu-Jung (CHN)". ITTF. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  4. ^ "Table tennis facts you need to know". Xinhua. 19 May 2007. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  5. ^ Edgar Clark (30 March 1964). "Table Talk With Young Li Of Red China". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  6. ^ "Table Tennis: A Game of War". TIME. 7 May 1965. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  7. ^ Xinmin Weekly (23 March 2007). 追溯中国乒乓让球事件 受害者远非何智丽一人. QQ.com (in Chinese). Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  8. ^ "The ITTF Hall of Fame". ITTF. Archived from the original on 9 August 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  9. ^ "Li Furong awarded title of ATTU Honorary Life President". Chinese Olympic Committee. 17 November 2010. Retrieved 30 April 2011.