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ALifeinSportTheycalledhimtheprinceofgymnasts.Whenheretiredattheageof26,hehadwon106goldmedalsinmajorcompetitionsacrosstheworld.Theyincludedsixoutofsevengoldmedalsatthe1982WorldChampionship,andthreeatthe1984OlympicsinLosAngeles(aswellastwosilverandabronze).LiNingwasthebest.Whensportsjournalistsmetin1999tomakealistofthegreatestsportsmenandsportswomenofthetwentiethcentury,LiNing'snamewasonit,togetherwithfootballerPeléandboxerMuhammadAli.Buteventhoughhehadwoneverythingitwaspossibletowininhissport,LiNingretiredwiththefeelingthathehadfailed.Hewasdisappointedbecausehehadnotperformedwellinthe1988SeoulOlympics.Butitwasthissenseoffailurethatmadehimdeterminedtosucceedinhisnewlife.Ayearafterhisretirement,LiNingbegananewcareer—asabusinessman.Buthedidn'tforgethissportingbackground.Hedecidedtolaunchanewbrandofsportswear,competingwithglobalgiantslikeNikeandAdidas.Hemadetheunusualchoice,foraChineseperson,ofchoosinghisownnameasthebrandmark.ThebrightredlogoismadeupofthefirsttwopinyinlettersofLiNing'sname,LandN.LiNing'ssportsclothescameontothemarketatjusttherighttime.Thenumberofyoungpeoplewithmoneytospendwasontheincrease—andsporthadneverbeensopopular.LiNing'sdesignswereattractive,andtheyhadamajoradvantageovertheirbetter-knownrivals—theywerecheaper.ApairofNiketrainers,forexample,couldcostuptofivetimesasmuchasasimilarLiNingproduct.SuccessforLiNingwasguaranteed,anditcamequickly.Injustafewyears,LiNingwonmorethanfiftypercentofthenationalmarket.TodayaLiNingproductispurchasedeverytenseconds.Buttheclothesarenotonlywornontheathleticstrackorthefootballpitch.Ifyougointoaschooloruniversityanywhere,thechancesareyouwillseestudentsinLiNingtracksuitswiththefamiliarlogo.Thecompanyhasalsogrowninternationally.TheSpanishandFrenchgymnasticsteamswearLiNingclothes,whileItaliandesignersareemployedbythecompanytocreatenewstyles.WheneverChineseathletesstepoutontothetrackduringthe2008Olympics,theywillbewearingLiNingtracksuits.ButLiNing'sgoalwhenheretiredwasnottomakemoney.Hisdreamwastoopenaschoolforgymnasts.Hewasabletodothisin1991.Sincethen,hehascontinuedtohelpyoungpeopletoachievetheirsportingambitions.LikePeléandMuhammadAlibeforehim,whohaveworkedwiththeUnitedNationsforchildren'srightsandpeace,LiNinghasdiscoveredthattheworkofagreatsportsmandoesnotfinishwhenheretiresfromthesport.Itstarts.Andifyouareagreatsportsperson,anythingispossible,asLiNing'sadvertisingslogansays.