Li is still a trainer of champions

Coach Li Mingzhu (right) and Caroline Zhang of the US wait for results during the ISU Figure Skating Grand Prix in Harbin on November 10. Yang Shizhong

Now China's former national team figure skating coach is looking towards 2008, waiting for the opportunity to realize her Olympic dream again with Chinese skaters.

"If there is an opportunity, I'd be very glad to come back and coach the Chinese skaters," said the 45-year-old Li. "China is my hometown and, if possible, I want to do a four-year Olympic cycle in China."

Li's name is closely linked to China's first breakthrough in figure skating. Her star pupil, Chen Lu, was the first Olympic figure-skating medalist from China and the first world champion in women's singles figure skating.

Li coached Chen for 15 years and said she has sweet memories of working together, even though it was a difficult time for figure skating in China.

Li began figure skating when she was seven. She turned to coaching in 1980 while she was living in Changchun. Chen, who was born in 1976, was one of Li's first students.

"China's figure skating was in hard times then, and sometimes, we even had to train in open air in cold winter," Li recalled.

Her first experience in international competition at the NHK Grand Prix in Japan in the late 1980s was shocking - she didn't realize the talent and experience gap between her skaters and the rest of the world was so great.

"I found we seemed to be against the whole environment there," said Li. "We could not compete with the international competitors in terms of style and skill, so I decided to let my skaters practice more at home first."

She studied some of the world's top figure skaters and some advanced training methods, trying to adapt these new methods for the Chinese team.

"I told my young skaters to attempt triple jumps when they were around ten years old, which was much earlier than other Chinese youngsters," said Li. "It was very risky at that time, since some old coaches said it could spoil things by excessive enthusiasm."

But Li found success in her coaching style. Chen landed her first triple jump at the age of nine. By age 10 she could do five different triples. In 1988 she surprised the world by finishing 12th at her first international competition at the age of 12.

As she got older, Chen's trophy cabinet filled up. In 1990 and 1992, Chen claimed bronze medals at the Junior World Championships, with two additional bronzes at the adults' world championships in 1992 and 1993.

Then at the Lillehammer Winter Olympic Games in 1994, Chen brought back China's first Olympic figure-skating medal, a bronze. In 1995, Chen finally reached the top, grabbing gold at the Birmingham World Championships, China's first-ever world figure-skating title.

"Chen is my greatest achievement and I enjoyed the process of working together, although it was difficult," Li recalled with tears in her eyes. "We are the exploiters of China's figure skating. I will treasure that memory forever."

After she concluded her 15-year partnership with Chen, Li moved to the US in 1997.

"When I finished coaching Chen, I realized it was the time for me to change, to give myself a period of time to conclude and calm down," Li said. "I also had to join my family, so I decided to move to the US."

The title of "world champion coach" attracted many skaters in the US, who came in droves to train with her everyday. Scheduling so many students was especially difficult for Li.

"At the very beginning, it took time for me to adapt myself to the new training way in the US," said Li. "I had to learn how to handle an entire class within 20 or 30 minutes, which was just enough for warming-up while coaching the Chinese national team. But I got accustomed to the new environment quickly, and I was happy to work with those young skaters every day."

Caroline Zhang, one of the young American skaters who may follow in Chen's steps, is a rising star in the US.

"Zhang has the potential to be a world champion, although she is still young right now," said Li, who began working with Zhang four years ago. "For the coach and athletes, the final goal should be participating in the Olympic Games. We will work step by step in daily training to approach that goal."

Li still keeps her eye on figure skating in China and wishes to help out young coaches who are hoping to make it big.

"Most of the young coaches and local team coaches in China have little contact with world's advanced training concept and methods, so if possible, I'm glad to be the bridge between them," said Li, who used to hold lectures for Chinese coaches years ago. "I would like to share my experience with them and do as much as possible for China's figure skating."

(China Daily 11/22/2007 page22)