Lu Chen (Lulu, as she is affectionately called by the American public) is a pioneer for China in the sport of figure skating. She is China's first figure skater to win a World Championship and an Olympic medal. At the age of 22, Lu Chen is a heroine for her country. Lu Chen inherited the gift of sports from her parents. Her father was formerly an ice hockey player on the national team while her mother was a very good table tennis player. When she could barely walk, her father bought her a pair of skates. At first she faltered and fell, but after a few trials she managed to walk a little distance. "It's amazing," recalled her father, "how the little girl took to the ice. She could glide on the ice with ease a few days later."
Lu Chen entered an amateur sports school at five to learn figure skating. Being clever and quick on the uptake, she soon became the best skater in her class. Weeks before an important competition the following year, her coach told her that she must be able to perform a revolution of 360 degrees in the air if she was to win the first prize. This was a movement she had never practiced before, but she was not daunted. Her eagerness to win prompted her to follow her coach's advice. She trained hard and mastered the jump after overcoming difficulties.
In 1982, Lu Chen joined a provincial amateur sports organization in Jilin Province, in northeast China, she was placed under the care of Ms. Li Mingzhu, a capable and conscientious coach who quickly discerned that Lu Chen would be a promising skater. Li Mingzhu was strict with her pupils; she prescribed a soon-as-possible increase of difficulty in skating skills for Lu Chen who often found herself black and blue after each training session. Though she paid dearly, Lu Chen was amply rewarded. At 14, she won the Figure Skating Championships at the National Winter Games and was the Bronze medalist at the World Junior Figure Skating competition. At the 1991 World Championships, Lu Chen placed 12th, and she could do five different kinds of highly difficult triple jumps.
The world took notice of Lu Chen in 1992. She was sixth in the 1992 Winter Olympics, which was the best result ever achieved by a Chinese figure skater in the Olympics. One month later at the World Figure Skating Championships held in Oakland, Lu Chen's performance surprised many experts and she was awarded a Bronze medal. Lu Chen won three consecutive Bronze medals including the '92 World Championships, '93 World Championships and the '94 Winter Olympic Games. Her Bronze Olympic medal was the best ever for China in figure skating. After the 1994 season and a growth spurt, Lu Chen worked diligently to rise to the next level. With a beautifully choreographed program, "The Last Emperor," Lu Chen impressed the judges and won the 1995 World Championships. This was a great accomplishment for the very talented, beautiful and young skater. At the 1996 World Championships, Lu performed a moving and emotional long program and received two perfect scores of 6.0. Lu's beauty, maturity and elegance distinguish her from the other competitors. "People" Magazine recognized her natural and worldly beauty by naming her as one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" in 1996.
After the close finish in the 1996 World Championships, Lu Chen was forced to stay off the ice because of the return of an old injury and a painful split with her longtime coach, Li Mingzhu. She experienced a very disappointing 1996/1997 skating season. In fact, the only event that she entered was the 1997 World Championships, where she finished a very disappointing 25th.
Lu Chen gathered strength and courage and was determined to make a comeback. With a new coach, Mr. Liu Hongyun, Lu wanted to prove that she could still compete with the best and win another medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics. During the early part of 1997/1998 season, Lu Chen began her ascent. She qualified for the Olympics at the Olympic qualifying event in Vienna by placing first. She then placed 3rd at the NHK Championships in Nagano, which took place at the future site of the 1998 Olympics. Lu Chen stunned the skating world by winning the Bronze Medal at the Olympics. Broadcasters and the media labeled Lu Chen's performances as one of the greatest and most memorable moments of the 1998 Olympics. Although it was her second Olympic Bronze medal, this one was earned with a great amount of pride and dignity. It was a symbol of retribution and coming back from so many obstacles.
Lu Chen currently lives in San Francisco and is training with Christy Ness, the coach of Olympic Gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi. She plans on competing and performing as a professional.
Born: November, 14
Hometown: Chang Chun, Jilin
Nickname: Lulu
Height: 5'4"
Weight: 107 lbs
Coach: Christy Ness
Choreographer: Sandra Bezic, LeAnn Miller
1998 Olympic Winter Games-3rd (Bronze)
1998 U.S. Professional Championships-2nd
1999 Masters of Figure Skating-4th
1999 World Pro Championships-4th
Lu Chen: Grace on Ice
On the Ice-Lu Chen
