View source for Lao Lishi

{{Short description|Chinese diver (born 1987)}}
{{About|the diver|the Swiss watch trademark|Rolex}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
|name             = Lao Lishi
|native_name      = 
|native_name_lang = 
|image            = 
|image_size       = 
|alt              = 
|caption          = <!-- -->
|nationality      = Chinese
|birth_date       = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1987|12|12}}
|birth_place      = [[Lianjiang, Guangdong]], China
|death_date       = 
|death_place      = 
|residence        = 
|education        = 
|alma_mater       = 
|years_active     = 
|height           = {{height|m=1.53|precision=0}}
|weight           = 
|website          = 
|country          = 
|sport            = [[Diving (sport)|Diving]]
|event            = 10 m, 10 m synchro
|club             = 
|coach            = 
|retired          = 2010
|medaltemplates   = 
{{MedalCount
| [[Olympic Games]] | 1 | 1 | -
| [[World Aquatics Championships|World Championships]] | 1 | 1 | -
| [[Summer Universiade]] |2|3|-
| [[Asian Games]] | 1 | - | -
}}
{{MedalSport | Women's [[Diving (sport)|Diving]]}}
{{MedalCountry | {{CHN}} }}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Diving at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalGold  | [[2004 Summer Olympics|2004 Athens]] | [[Diving at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Women's synchronized 10 metre platform|Platform Synchro]]}}
{{MedalSilver| [[2004 Summer Olympics|2004 Athens]] | [[Diving at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Women's 10 metre platform|10m Platform]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[World Aquatics Championships|World Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[2003 World Aquatics Championships|2003 Barcelona]] |Platform Synchro }}
{{MedalSilver| [[2003 World Aquatics Championships|2003 Barcelona]] |10m Platform }} 
{{MedalCompetition | [[Summer Universiade]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[2009 Summer Universiade|2009 Belgrade]] | [[Diving at the 2009 Summer Universiade|10 m synchro]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[2007 Summer Universiade|2007 Bangkok]] | [[Diving at the 2007 Summer Universiade|10 m platform]]}}
{{MedalSilver | [[2007 Summer Universiade|2007 Bangkok]] | [[Diving at the 2007 Summer Universiade|Team]]}}
{{MedalSilver | [[2009 Summer Universiade|2009 Belgrade]] | [[Diving at the 2009 Summer Universiade|Team]]}}
{{MedalSilver | [[2009 Summer Universiade|2009 Belgrade]] | [[Diving at the 2009 Summer Universiade|3 m synchro]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Asian Games]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[Diving at the Asian Games|2002 Busan]] | 10m Platform}}
|show-medals      = yes 
}}
{{family name hatnote|Lao|lang=Chinese}}
'''Lao Lishi''' ({{zh|t=勞麗詩|s=劳丽诗|p=Láo Lìshī|j=Lou4 Lai6 Si1}}; born 12 December 1987) is a Chinese retired [[diving (sport)|diver]]. Lao represented China at the [[2004 Summer Olympics]], earning a silver medal in the 10 meter women's platform and a gold medal in women's 10 meter synchronized platform along with [[Li Ting (diver)|Li Ting]]. 

==Early life==
Born in 1987 in [[Zhanjiang]], Lao was one of six children in the family. Her father was a self-employed businessman while her mother was a housewife. Lao began swimming at just over five years old. While accompanying her mother, who regularly took her older brother to diving training at a sports school in Zhanjiang, she played in the children's pool. 
This caught the attention of the coach at the sports school, who recognized her qualities of a promising diver.<ref name=":2">{{cite web|url=https://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_4bc3eb49010006w3.html|title=奥运冠军劳丽诗：三个哥哥我包了！17岁小丫撑起贫寒之家|trans-title=Olympic champion Lao Lishi: I will take care of my three brothers! The 17-year-old girl supports her poor family|newspaper=Sina|date=13 January 2007|lang=zh|access-date=1 January 2025}}</ref>

==Sports career==
In 1994, while still in preschool, Lao officially began practicing diving at the sports school in [[Chikan District]] of Zhanjiang. Despite having a cold and a fever during the 1997 Zhanjiang City Children's Diving Championships, she competed and won first place. In March 1998, she joined the Guangdong Diving Team.<ref name=":2"/>

In 2001, she participated in her first national competition, winning the doubles diving and attained third in singles diving at the [[2001 National Games of China|9th National Games]] in [[Guangzhou]].<ref name=":2"/> In January 2002, she was selected for the national team and on 26 June, she won the women's 10-meter individual platform diving championship at the [[2002 FINA Diving World Cup]] in [[Seville]], Spain, along with the 10-meter synchro with [[Li Ting (diver)|Li Ting]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sports.sina.com.cn/o/2002-06-26/26281242.shtml|title=图文-中国小将劳丽诗获世界杯女子跳水10米台冠军|trans-title=Photo: Chinese teenager Lao Lishi wins the World Cup Women's Diving 10m Platform Championship|lang=zh|newspaper=Sina|date=26 June 2002|access-date=1 January 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.people.cn/200206/28/eng20020628_98723.shtml|title=China Wins Two More Golds at Diving World Cup|newspaper=People's Daily|date=28 June 2002|access-date=1 January 2025}}</ref> On 14 October, she attained first place in the 10 meter platform  at the [[2002 Asian Games]] in [[Busan]], South Korea, with 434.220 points.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/asiangames/english/flash.htm|title=14th Asian Games Busan|newspaper=Xinhua|date=2002|access-date=1 January 2025}}</ref> She also won multiple titles at the FINA Diving Grand Prix events in Spain, Canada and the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.sina.com.cn/s/2003-10-14/0700917024s.shtml|title=劳丽诗夺冠不满足|trans-title=Lao Lishi is not satisfied with winning the championship|newspaper=Sina|lang=zh|date=14 October 2003|access-date=1 January 2025}}</ref>

In 2003, she won the 10-meter individual, and synchro with Li Ting, in FINA Diving Grand Prix in Australia and China.<ref name=":3">{{cite web|url= http://www.sport.gov.cn/n16/n300161/n300192/n488408/n488427/n488448/496301.html|title= 跳水运动员 劳丽诗 李婷|trans-title=Diving athletes Lao Lishi Li Ting|lang=zh|newspaper=General Administration of Sport of China|access-date=1 January 2025|archive-date=13 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110113090106/http://www.sport.gov.cn/n16/n300161/n300192/n488408/n488427/n488448/496301.html|url-status= dead}}</ref> At the [[2004 FINA Diving World Cup]] finals in [[Athens]], Greence, Lao and Li won the 10 meter synchro platform  with an absolute advantage, winning the second gold medal for the Chinese team.<ref name=":3"/>  On 14 July 2004, the final list of the Chinese national diving team for the [[2004 Summer Olympics]] in Athens was announced in [[Jinan]], China and Lao was selected 
for the 10-meter individual and 10-meter syncho platforms. At the Olympics, she and Li won the gold medal in the [[Diving at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Women's synchronized 10 metre platform|10-meter synchro]] with 352.14 points.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics_2004/swimming/3571414.stm|title=Chinese take platform gold|newspaper=BBC Sports|date=16 August 2004|access-date=1 January 2024}}</ref> Lao won silver medal in the [[Diving at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Women's 10 metre platform|induvidual 10-meter platform]] in the 2004 Olympics with 576.26 points.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/home/2004-08/23/content_368022.htm|title=Women's 10m Platform: Lao Lishi takes silver|newspaper=Xinhua|date=23 August 2024|access-date=1 January 2025}}</ref>

After the Olympics, Lao faded out of the national team and returned to the provincial team. At the [[2005 National Games of China|2005 National Games]] in [[Nanjing]], China, she performed poorly and only won the eighth place in the 10-meter platform.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sports.sina.com.cn/r/2005-10-04/15521802804.shtml|title=南方日报：劳丽诗要摘下奥运光环|lang=zh|trans-title=Nan Fang Daily: Lao Lishi wants to take off the Olympic glory|newspaper=Sina|date=5 October 2005|access-date=1 January 2025}}</ref> In 2006, she returned to the national team and in June 2007, she won the gold medal in the individual 10-meter platform at the FINA Diving Grand Prix in [[Madrid]], Spain.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sports.sina.com.cn/o/p/2007-06-09/10092971882.shtml|title=图文-马德里跳水赛首日中国队三金 劳丽诗10米台夺冠|trans-title=Photo: China wins three gold medals on the first day of Madrid Diving Competition, Lao Lishi wins 10m platform championship|newspaper=Sina Sports|lang=zh|date=9 June 2007|access-date=1 January 2025}}</ref> On the same year, at the [[2007 Summer Universiade]] in [[Bangkok]], Thailand, she won gold medal in the  individual 10 meter platform.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sports.sohu.com/20070818/n251648563.shtml|title=劳丽诗获大运会10米台金牌 墨西哥劲敌功亏一篑|trans-title=Lao Lishi won the Universiade 10m platform gold medal, while her Mexican rival fell short|newspaper=Sohu Sports|lang=zh|date=18 August 2007|access-date=1 January 2025}}</ref> In 2008, during the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] trials held in Jinan, she strained her shoulder due to discomfort during a water entry exercise before the trials. As a result, she lost to newcomers [[Chen Ruolin]] and [[Wang Xin (diver)|Wang Xin]] and was not selected for the national team for the Olympics.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://2008.sina.com.cn/cn/aq/2008-01-11/100842829.shtml|title=劳丽诗重大失误无缘决赛 坦然放弃光环从零开始|trans-title=Lao Lishi made a major mistake and missed the finals. She calmly gave up her halo and started from scratch|newspaper=Sina|lang=zh|date=11 January 2008|access-date=1 January 2025}}</ref>

On 7 July 2009, Lao along with Chen Ni won gold medal 10-meter synchro at the [[2009 Summer Universiade]] in [[Belgrade]], Serbia, and also won the silver medal at the 3-meter springboard synchro at the same event.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sports.sohu.com/20090711/n265141864.shtml|title=图文：大运会跳水比赛 劳丽诗/陈妮展示银牌|trans-title=Photo: Universiade diving competition, Lao Lishi and Chen Ni show off their silver medals|newspaper=Sohu Sports|date=11 July 2009|lang=zh|access-date=1 January 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/world-university-games-diving-womens-platform-synchro-mens-one-meter-individual-events-conclude/|title=World University Games, Diving: Women's Platform Synchro, Men's One-Meter Individual Events Conclude|newspaper=Swimming World|date=7 July 2009|access-date=1 January 2025}}</ref> In April 2010, at the age of 23, Lao officially retired, ending her sports career.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.changjiangtimes.com/2010/04/263686.html|title=奥运冠军劳丽诗退役|trans-title=Olympic champion Lao Lishi retires|newspaper=Changjiang Times|lang=zh|date=16 April 2010|access-date=1 January 2025}}</ref>

==Later life==
After retiring from sports, Lao graduated from [[Sun Yat-sen University]]. She briefly worked as a sports school teacher and a member of a diving team before eventually joining the Youth Volunteer Action Guidance Center under the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the [[Communist Youth League of China]], where she served as a senior staff member responsible for public welfare and charity.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tyj.gd.gov.cn/tyxw_rw/content/post_3265994.html|title=南粤冠军路丨奥运冠军劳丽诗 湛江的雕像 网店的人生|trans-title=Champion Road of South Guangdong 丨Olympic champion Lao Lishi Statue of Zhanjiang Life of online shop|lang=zh|newspaper=tyj.gd.gov.cn|date=25 October 2019|access-date=1 January 2025}}</ref> In early 2014, she resigned from her civil service position, and by June of the same year, she became a store owner, selling jewellery on the online shopping platform [[Taobao]], which is owned by the Chinese multinational technology company [[Alibaba Group]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://finance.people.com.cn/n/2014/0714/c66323-25275341.html|title=奥运冠军辞掉"体制内"工作 成为网店店主|lang=zh|trans-title=Olympic champion quits his job in the system and becomes an online shop owner|newspaper=People's Daily|date=14 July 2014|access-date=1 January 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://chinadigitaltimes.net/chinese/646162.html|title=骚客文艺: 劳丽诗的独立思考，对于一个运动员来说有多难|trans-title=Saoke Literature and Art: How difficult is it for an athlete to think independently?|lang=zh|newspaper=China Digital Times|date=3 June 2020|access-date=8 January 2025}}</ref> In September 2014, she was invited by Alibaba Group co-founder and chairman [[Jack Ma]] to be one of the eight bell ringers for the listing of Alibaba Group in the [[New York Stock Exchange]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.alizila.com/alibaba-group-lists-on-the-nyse-video-pix/|title=Alibaba Group Lists on the NYSE|newspaper=Alizila|date=19 September 2014|access-date=1 January 2025}}</ref> In 2015, she was enshrined into the [[International Swimming Hall of Fame]] in [[Fort Lauderdale]], United States.<ref name=":HF">{{cite web|url=https://ishof.org/honoree/lao-lishi/|title=Lao Lishi|newspaper=International Swimming Hall of Fame|access-date=1 January 2025}}</ref>

On 26 May 2020, during the [[COVID-19 pandemic in China]], Lao shared an excerpt from ''[[Wuhan Diary]]'', an online diary written by [[Fang Fang]], on her account on the social media platform [[Weibo]]. The excerpt described the death of a nurse who died on the frontlines while dealing with the pandemic in the city of [[Wuhan]].<ref name=":LZ">{{cite web|url=https://www.zaobao.com.sg/realtime/china/story20200721-1070833|title=奥运冠军劳丽诗微博被禁言 曾发言支持方方|trans-title=Olympic champion Luo Lishi banned from Weibo after speaking out in support of Fang Fang|lang=zh|newspaper=Lianhe Zaobao|date=21 July 2020|access-date=1 January 2025}}</ref> This resulted in online netizens attacking Lao. In response, Lao stated that "suddenly, I feel very happy because I haven't lived the way you like" and "if I had lived in a way that earned your praise, I would immediately jump off the ten-meter platform—into an empty pool, the kind without water."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hk01.com/%E5%8D%B3%E6%99%82%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8B/500445/%E5%A5%A7%E9%81%8B%E5%86%A0%E8%BB%8D%E5%8B%9E%E9%BA%97%E8%A9%A9%E5%BE%AE%E5%8D%9A%E9%81%AD%E5%B0%81%E7%A6%81%E8%A8%80-%E6%9B%BE%E7%99%BC%E8%A8%80%E6%94%AF%E6%8C%81%E6%AD%A6%E6%BC%A2%E4%BD%9C%E5%AE%B6%E6%96%B9%E6%96%B9|title=奧運冠軍勞麗詩微博遭封禁言 曾發言支持武漢作家方方|trans-title=Olympic champion Lao Lishi's Weibo account banned after she spoke out in support of Wuhan writer Fang Fang|date=21 July 2020|lang=zh|newspaper=HK01|access-date=1 January 2025}}</ref> On 3 June 2020, Lao published a post on Weibo condemning online bullying and aggressive nationalism, and she stated:<ref>{{cite web|url= https://chinadigitaltimes.net/space/Lao_Lishi|title=Lao Lishi|newspaper=China Digital Times|access-date=1 January 2025}}</ref>
<blockquote>As a citizen of the People's Republic of China, born and raised, I love my motherland and want it to get better and better, for the economy to flourish, for our headstrong civilization to shine, for goodwill to prevail among the people. Is that wrong? I don't think so. What is wrong for a bunch of spineless trolls to rampage online, bullying honest people, picking on good people, attacking people at every turn with idiotic verbal assaults along the lines of "I don't like you, get the hell out of China." Please remember, no one is obliged to hand over the land they love to a bunch of invertebrates so they can make it into their playground. Not today, not ever. I'm a decent person, but I pull no punches! </blockquote>

The post gained significant traction, receiving over 50,000 likes and 7,400 shares.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dw.com/zh/%E5%A5%A5%E8%BF%90%E5%86%A0%E5%86%9B%E5%8A%B3%E4%B8%BD%E8%AF%97%E5%BE%AE%E5%8D%9A%E9%81%AD%E7%A6%81%E8%A8%80-%E4%BC%9A%E5%90%A6%E6%AD%A5%E9%83%9D%E6%B5%B7%E4%B8%9C%E5%90%8E%E5%B0%98/a-54241869|title=奥运冠军劳丽诗微博遭禁言 会否步郝海东后尘？|trans-title=Olympic champion Lao Lishi was banned from Weibo. Will she follow in Hao Haidong's footsteps?|newspaper=DW|date=20 July 2020|lang=zh|access-date=1 January 2025}}</ref> Following the controversy, her Weibo account was banned for one year.<ref name=":LZ"/>

==Honours==
In 2005, the city of Zhanjiang built a 12.8 meter diving goddess sculpture, commemorating Lao's Olympic gold medal performance.<ref name=":HF"/>

==See also== 
*[[Diving at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Sports links}}

{{Footer Olympic Champions Diving Women Synchronized 10 Metre Platform}}
{{Footer World Champions Platform Synchro Women}}
{{Asian Games Champions Diving 10 m Platform Women}}
{{Footer Universiade Champions Platform Women}}
{{Footer Universiade Champions Platform Synchro Women}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lao, Lishi}}
[[Category:1987 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Chinese female divers]]
[[Category:Divers at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic divers for China]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for China]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for China]]
[[Category:Olympic medalists in diving]]
[[Category:Asian Games gold medalists in diving]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Guangdong]]
[[Category:Divers at the 2002 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:World Aquatics Championships medalists in diving]]
[[Category:Asian Games gold medalists for China]]
[[Category:Asian Games divers for China]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2002 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Summer World University Games medalists in diving]]
[[Category:FISU World University Games gold medalists for China]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2007 Summer Universiade]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2009 Summer Universiade]]
[[Category:Sun Yat-sen University alumni]]
[[Category:21st-century Chinese sportswomen]]
[[Category:21st-century Chinese businesswomen]]
[[Category:People from Lianjiang, Guangdong]]
[[Category:Divers from Guangdong]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Zhanjiang]]
[[Category:Victims of cyberbullying]]