Fu Mingxia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Fu Mingxia

Personal information
Born	(1978-08-16) August 16, 1978 (age 47) Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China
Alma mater	Tsinghua University
Spouse(s)	Anthony Leung (m.2002–present)
Sport
Country	People's Republic of China
Medal record Women's diving Representing  China Olympic Games Gold 1992 Barcelona 10m Platform Gold 1996 Atlanta 10m Platform Gold 1996 Atlanta 3m Springboard Gold 2000 Sydney 3m Springboard Silver 2000 Sydney Synchro Springboard World Championships Gold 1991 Perth 10m Platform Gold 1994 Rome 10m Platform Asian Games Gold 1990 Beijing Team Event Silver 1994 Hiroshima 3m Springboard Bronze 1990 Beijing 10m Platform Universiade Gold 1999 Palma de Mallorca 3 m springboard Gold 1999 Palma de Mallorca 10 m platform

Fu Mingxia (born August 16, 1978) is a famous retired Chinese diver. She won many Olympic gold medals and world championships. She became the youngest diving world champion ever at age 12 in 1991. She also won an Olympic gold medal at the 1992 Barcelona Games when she was just 13 years old. Fu Mingxia was known for her difficult dives throughout the 1990s. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, she won her fourth gold medal. This made her one of only a few divers to win four Olympic diving golds.

Fu Mingxia's Early Life

Fu Mingxia grew up in Wuhan, a city in central China. Her family was working-class. When she was 5, she started gymnastics because her older sister did it. Fu was very graceful and had great body control. However, her coaches thought she wasn't flexible enough for gymnastics. They suggested she try diving instead. At about seven years old, Fu started diving, even though she couldn't swim yet!

Becoming a Diving Star

Fu quickly switched from gymnastics to springboard diving. A diving coach named Yu Fen noticed her talent. In 1989, Fu moved to Beijing to train at a special boarding school. She became part of China's top diving team. This program was known for its strict training and successful athletes.

Fu trained very hard, often four to five hours a day, seven days a week. Sometimes, she even trained for nine hours a day. She practiced up to 100 dives daily. Her dedication helped her overcome fears and improve quickly. She became so good that her hair would sometimes touch the diving platform during her dives.

Fu Mingxia's Amazing Career

In 1990, Fu Mingxia made her first international appearance. She won gold medals at the U.S. Open and the Goodwill Games in Seattle. At just 12 years old, her daring dives from the 10-meter platform made her a national hero. Later that year, she won a bronze medal at the Asian Games in Beijing. After this, she made her dives even more challenging.

Youngest World Champion

By 1991, Fu was ready for the World Championships in Perth, Australia. She was in eighth place after a mistake, but she didn't give up. Fu performed incredibly well and won the title. She beat the Soviet Union's Yelena Miroshina by almost 25 points. At only 12 years old, Fu became the youngest international diving champion ever. This record will always be hers. After her win, new rules were made. Now, all international diving competitors must be at least 14 years old.

Fu first became famous for platform diving. But she also started competing on the three-meter springboard. In April 1992, she won a gold medal on the springboard in Shanghai.

Olympic Gold Medals

Fu Mingxia competed in her first Olympics at the 1992 Games in Barcelona, Spain. She was 13 years old, 154 cm (5'1") tall, and weighed 43 kg (94.8 lb). Her youthful courage helped her beat older divers. Fu won a gold medal in the platform competition. She was the youngest medal winner at those Olympics. She also became the youngest Olympic diving champion, a title she still holds.

After her first Olympic success, Fu trained even harder for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. She trained seven hours a day, six days a week. She listened to music and watched TV for relaxation. Her coaches pushed her, but music helped her through the tough training. At the 1996 Olympics, Fu was in top form. She won gold medals in both the platform and springboard events. She was the first woman in 36 years to win both events at one Olympics.

Awards and Achievements

Fu Mingxia has an impressive list of awards and accomplishments:

• 1990 Goodwill Games – 10m platform: 1st place (at 11 years old)
• 1991 Asian Games – 10m platform: 3rd place (at 12 years old)
• 1991 World Swimming Championships – 10m platform: 1st place (at 12 years old)
• 1992 Olympic Games – 10m platform: 1st place (at 13 years old)
• 1993 FINA Diving World Cup – 3m springboard: 3rd place (at 15 years old)
• 1994 World Swimming Championships – 10m platform: 1st place (at 16 years old)
• 1994 Asian Games – 3m springboard: 2nd place (at 16 years old)
• 1995 FINA Diving World Cup – 10m platform: 2nd place (at 17 years old)
• 1995 FINA Diving World Cup – 3m springboard: 1st place (at 17 years old)
• 1996 Olympic Games – 10m platform: 1st place (at 18 years old)
• 1996 Olympic Games – 3m springboard: 1st place (at 18 years old)
• 1999 University Games – 10m platform: 1st place (at 21 years old)
• 1999 University Games – 3m springboard: 1st place (at 21 years old)
• 2000 FINA Diving World Cup – 3m springboard: 2nd place (at 22 years old)
• 2000 Olympic Games – 3m springboard synchronized (with Guo Jingjing): 2nd place (at 22 years old)
• 2000 Olympic Games – 3m springboard: 1st place (at 22 years old)

Retirement and Comeback

After winning three gold medals in Atlanta, Fu Mingxia decided to retire from diving. She enrolled at Beijing's Tsinghua University to study management. In 1997, she also became involved in politics as a delegate to the Communist Party's 15th Congress.

Fu took about two years off from diving. But in 1998, she started diving again with the university team. She trained on her own terms, which still meant a lot of discipline. She reduced her training to five hours a day. Fu felt that practicing just for the sake of it was not enough.

As part of the university team, Fu competed in the 1999 Universiade in Spain. She won both the highboard and springboard titles. Less than a year after her comeback, she won a silver medal at the Diving World Cup. Fu earned her spot back on the national Olympic team. She also tried a new event: three-meter synchronized diving.

Sydney Olympics 2000

Fu headed to the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. She and her partner, Guo Jingjing, practiced synchronized diving for less than six months. They still managed to win a silver medal. The Russian team that beat them had trained together for years. After synchronized diving, Fu competed in the individual springboard event. She won a gold medal, nailing her final dive perfectly. With four gold medals and one silver, Fu became one of the most successful Olympic divers ever. She is one of only three divers to win an Olympic "double-double" in individual events.

Personal Life

Fu Mingxia's parents, Fu Yijun and Lin Xing'e, were ordinary workers in Wuhan. Her older sister, Fu Mingyan, once helped take care of her during her pregnancy. Fu Mingxia's cousin, Fu Mingtian, is a badminton player for Singapore. Fu Mingxia often cheers for her cousin at competitions.

Marriage and Family

Fu Mingxia married Antony Leung on July 15, 2002, in Hawaii. Antony Leung was the former Financial Secretary of Hong Kong. They have three children: a daughter born in 2003, and two sons born in 2004 and 2008.

Even though Fu no longer dives professionally, she stayed involved in sports. She was part of the Beijing Olympic bid committee for the 2008 Olympics. Beijing won the bid, and Fu served as an ambassador for the event.

Public Activities

Fu Mingxia has participated in many public and charity events:

• On September 30, 2001, she attended a "Heart Health Carnival" in Hong Kong. She took a photo with children and Timothy Fok, who leads the Hong Kong Olympic Committee.
• In December 2005, Fu Mingxia and Antony Leung attended the Heifer Christmas Charity Bazaar.
• On October 25, 2008, they attended the Heifer "Race to Feed 2008" charity event. This event raised money to help areas affected by the Sichuan earthquake.
• On March 30, 2010, Fu Mingxia attended the opening of a World Cultural Tourism Expo.
• On October 27, 2012, Fu Mingxia and Antony Leung attended the Heifer Charity Walk event.
• On October 26, 2015, Fu Mingxia, her husband, and their three children participated in the "Heifer Race to Feed" charity event.

See also

In Spanish: Fu Mingxia para niños

• List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame
• List of divers