On February 8, 1995, one of China’s most prestigious elite gymnasts was born. 

 

Early Career

 

Yao Jinnan broke into the elite world of competitive gymnastics with a successful debut in 2010 when she earned a spot on the Chinese National Team. She made a quick impact on the competition floor by placing second in the all-around and on balance beam at the Chinese National Championships, earning the opportunity to represent China at the 2011 World Championships. At worlds, Jinnan performed four consistent routines that were all counted in the score for the team competition, leading her country and teammates to a third place finish. Her individual all-around competition, however, was less successful. Jinnan was in contention for the championship title until she suffered a fall on the balance beam- a mistake that would have put her above title winner Jordyn Wieber, but ended up costing her the gold. Her streak of misfortune continued into the 2012 Olympic Games, held in London. Jinnan was battling a thigh injury that prevented her from performing at her best, and ended up falling on both beam and floor- slipping beneath her gold medal potential, once again. 

 

Success in 2013 and 2014

 

Improving on previous mistakes, Yao Jinnan blew the gymnastics world away at the 2013 World Championships when she showcased her impressive level of skill difficulty in the all-around competition. Jinnan was the third gymnast in history to successfully perform the Mo salto on bars- a skill that has not been competed in women’s competitions since 1996. 

 

After much consideration between her coaches and family, Jinnan made the decision to change her name, claiming that “Jinnan” sounded too similarly to, “too difficult to catch the gold”, due to her lack of success with gold medal placement in major competitions. She chose the name Yao Ziyi, hoping the new identity would bring her luck in future endeavors- which it proved to do. In May of 2014, the Chinese superstar successfully defended her national all-around title, and has her sights set on redemption at the 2014 World Championships. 

 

2014 World Championships

 

When it comes to international competitions, Yao Jinnan has proved to be an inconsistent competitor for China. Despite being one of the finest athletes China has had the pleasure of calling its own, she has struggled to reach her gymnastics potential when competing outside the homeland. Jinnan will be fighting fellow all-around contenders- Simone Biles, Aliya Mustafina, Kyla Ross, and Larisa Iordache- for a championship title, which will prove to be no easy feat. If the nineteen year old can hit the flawless routines that we know she is capable of, Jinnan will undoubtedly be standing on the all-around award podium, representing China with pride.