Liu Xiang, men's 110m hurdles champion at the Athens Olympic Games and runner-up of World Championships 2011, celebrates after taking the Judging Committee's Special Award of the Year award during the 2011 CCTV Sports Personality Awarding Ceremony in Beijing, Jan 15, 2012.(Xinhua Photo)
Though both absent from the 2011 CCTV (China Central Television) Sports
Personality Awarding Ceremony, China's leading women tennis ace Li Na and
swimming world champion Sun Yang dominated the Best Athlete Awards at the
National Stadium on Sunday.
Li, 29, made history as the first Asian and Chinese tennis player to enter a Grand Slam singles final in 2011 Australian Open. Later in June, Li was crowned as the first-ever Grand Slam title for China and Asia in the French Open final, downing defending champion Francesca Schiavone of Italy 6-4, 7-6(0).
Li was voted the Best Female Athlete, beating the other four candidates, including diving world champion Wu Minxia, table tennis world champion Ding Ning, swimming worlds gold medalist Jiao Liuyang and world discus winner Li Yanfeng.
Li, 29, made history as the first Asian and Chinese tennis player to enter a Grand Slam singles final in 2011 Australian Open. Later in June, Li was crowned as the first-ever Grand Slam title for China and Asia in the French Open final, downing defending champion Francesca Schiavone of Italy 6-4, 7-6(0).
Li was voted the Best Female Athlete, beating the other four candidates, including diving world champion Wu Minxia, table tennis world champion Ding Ning, swimming worlds gold medalist Jiao Liuyang and world discus winner Li Yanfeng.