Mo Huilan
Encyclopedia
Mo Huilan is a Chinese
gymnast
who competed at the 1996 Olympic Games
in Atlanta. She was one of China's most successful gymnasts in the 1990s. She is known for performing routines of exceptional difficulty and technique, but also for inconsistency.
Her birth date has been reported variously as July 19 and November 7; it is unclear which is correct. She is a fraternal twin; her sister Mo Huifang was also a gymnast.
to test for admission to the Chinese national training center. Huifang was accepted; Huilan was not. However, showing the determination that would serve her well in her competitive career, Huilan talked the coaches into allowing her to remain in Beijing with her sister. Eventually, Huifang was injured and retired from gymnastics; Huilan, in contrast, thrived and improved.
Mo made her international debut at the 1993 Cottbus Cup, where she placed a modest sixth in the all-around. The next year at the Asian Games
, however, she nearly swept the competition with gold medals in the team, balance beam, uneven bars, and vault and a bronze in the all-around.
She came to the attention of the international gymnastics community at the 1994 World Championships in Brisbane
, Australia
, where she achieved a seventh-place finish in the all-around final, the highest of any Chinese gymnast. Although she placed out of the medals on floor exercise, her routine, which was choreographed to Leroy Anderson
's "Typewriter Song", was a hit with the audience. Her performance on the uneven bars, where she debuted her own version of the Gaylord salto, also gained recognition and appreciation. Mo was the first female to perform this skill, a front tuck over the bar to recatch.
At the 1995 World Championships in Sabae, she showed an increased level of difficulty on all events, including a textbook Yurchenko double full, a double layout on floor exercise and beam routine highlighted by a dynamic two foot layout and blind double stag leaps. Her team won the first medal for China in the team competition. Her preliminary scores qualified her in first place for the all-around, but a fall from beam dropped her to sixth place in the all around final. She won the beam title performing her difficult routine immaculately, and tied for silver on the uneven bars with all around champion Lilia Podkopayeva
.
Mo was expected to be a major medal contender at the 1996 Olympics. However, the competition would prove to be disappointing for the entire Chinese team. Errors in the prelims kept Mo from qualifying for the beam and bars event finals; mistakes and falls from several of her teammates kept the Chinese squad from earning a medal in the team competition. In the all-around, Mo produced a beautiful Yurchenko double full and a solid routine on the unevens and balance beam. She was in first place going into the last rotation, floor exercise but stepped out of bounds and dropped to fifth place. She did not leave the Olympics empty handed, winning a silver on vault behind Romanian Simona Amânar
. This makes her the first Chinese female gymnast to win a medal on vault at the Olympic/World Championship level.
After the Olympics, Mo participated in exhibitions and shows in the United States before returning to competition. She continued to compete through the 1997 season. However, after less than stellar performances at the World Championships
and other meets, she quietly retired from gymnastics.
in Beijing
and subsequently began a career as a sports journalist
and commentator. She has also tried her hand at modeling and has a contract with the Li Ning
company. She portrayed former teammate Sang Lan
in a television miniseries.
, and is classified as a "G" element. Only a handful of other women gymnasts have attempted and successfully completed the Mo Salto. In fact, the only women gymnasts who have performed the Mo Salto at international competitions are all from China, including Meng Fei and Bi Wenjing. In 2005 World Championships, Chinese athlete Zhang Yufei
performed it successfully in podium training. However, she was injured during vault qualification, she did not use this skill during bars qualification. Another Chinese athlete, the relatively unknown Zhou Duan, performed the even harder Gaylord II (front flip with half twist over the high bar) at the 1997 East Asian Games.
Mo has performed the following elements in competition:
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
gymnast
Gymnast
Gymnasts are people who participate in the sports of either artistic gymnastics, trampolining, or rhythmic gymnastics.See gymnasium for the origin of the word gymnast from gymnastikos.-Female artistic:Australia...
who competed at the 1996 Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
in Atlanta. She was one of China's most successful gymnasts in the 1990s. She is known for performing routines of exceptional difficulty and technique, but also for inconsistency.
Her birth date has been reported variously as July 19 and November 7; it is unclear which is correct. She is a fraternal twin; her sister Mo Huifang was also a gymnast.
Gymnastics career
Both Huilan and Huifang began gymnastics in 1985 in Guangxi. In 1990, they were invited to attend a camp in BeijingBeijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
to test for admission to the Chinese national training center. Huifang was accepted; Huilan was not. However, showing the determination that would serve her well in her competitive career, Huilan talked the coaches into allowing her to remain in Beijing with her sister. Eventually, Huifang was injured and retired from gymnastics; Huilan, in contrast, thrived and improved.
Mo made her international debut at the 1993 Cottbus Cup, where she placed a modest sixth in the all-around. The next year at the Asian Games
Asian Games
The Asian Games, officially known as Asiad, is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games. Since the 1982 Games they have been organised by the...
, however, she nearly swept the competition with gold medals in the team, balance beam, uneven bars, and vault and a bronze in the all-around.
She came to the attention of the international gymnastics community at the 1994 World Championships in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, where she achieved a seventh-place finish in the all-around final, the highest of any Chinese gymnast. Although she placed out of the medals on floor exercise, her routine, which was choreographed to Leroy Anderson
Leroy Anderson
Leroy Anderson was an American composer of short, light concert pieces, many of which were introduced by the Boston Pops Orchestra under the direction of Arthur Fiedler...
's "Typewriter Song", was a hit with the audience. Her performance on the uneven bars, where she debuted her own version of the Gaylord salto, also gained recognition and appreciation. Mo was the first female to perform this skill, a front tuck over the bar to recatch.
At the 1995 World Championships in Sabae, she showed an increased level of difficulty on all events, including a textbook Yurchenko double full, a double layout on floor exercise and beam routine highlighted by a dynamic two foot layout and blind double stag leaps. Her team won the first medal for China in the team competition. Her preliminary scores qualified her in first place for the all-around, but a fall from beam dropped her to sixth place in the all around final. She won the beam title performing her difficult routine immaculately, and tied for silver on the uneven bars with all around champion Lilia Podkopayeva
Lilia Podkopayeva
Lilia Alexandrivna Podkopayeva ; born August 15, 1978 in Donetsk) is a retired Ukrainian gymnast who became the 1996 Olympic all-around champion, the 1995 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships all-around champion and the 1996 European Women's Artistic Gymnastics Championships all-around champion...
.
Mo was expected to be a major medal contender at the 1996 Olympics. However, the competition would prove to be disappointing for the entire Chinese team. Errors in the prelims kept Mo from qualifying for the beam and bars event finals; mistakes and falls from several of her teammates kept the Chinese squad from earning a medal in the team competition. In the all-around, Mo produced a beautiful Yurchenko double full and a solid routine on the unevens and balance beam. She was in first place going into the last rotation, floor exercise but stepped out of bounds and dropped to fifth place. She did not leave the Olympics empty handed, winning a silver on vault behind Romanian Simona Amânar
Simona Amânar
Simona Amânar is a Romanian gymnast. She is a seven-time Olympic medalist and a ten-time world medalist. Amânar helped Romania to win four consecutive world team titles as well as the 2000 Olympic team title. She has a vault named after her, the Amanar...
. This makes her the first Chinese female gymnast to win a medal on vault at the Olympic/World Championship level.
After the Olympics, Mo participated in exhibitions and shows in the United States before returning to competition. She continued to compete through the 1997 season. However, after less than stellar performances at the World Championships
1997 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
The 33rd Artistic Gymnastics World Championships were held in Lausanne, Switzerland, in 1997.The 1997 Worlds were notable because they were the first major contest to be held after the elimination of compulsory exercises.-All-round:-Apparatus:...
and other meets, she quietly retired from gymnastics.
Life after gymnastics
By all accounts, Mo's life after gymnastics has been fruitful. She has enjoyed status as a celebrity in China, where she is recognized as one of the country's most beloved sports figures. She pursued her education at Renmin University of ChinaRenmin University of China
Renmin University of China; RUC, also known as People's University of China , colloquially Renda , is a major research university in Haidian District, Beijing, China. Its campus neighbors those of Peking University and Tsinghua University....
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
and subsequently began a career as a sports journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and commentator. She has also tried her hand at modeling and has a contract with the Li Ning
Li Ning
Li Ning is a well-known Chinese gymnast and entrepreneur. He was born in an ethnic Zhuang family.-Gymnastics career:...
company. She portrayed former teammate Sang Lan
Sang Lan
Sang Lan is a former Chinese gymnast, television personality and student.-Athletic career and injury:Sang achieved excellence in gymnastics at a young age, winning the all-around and every single event final at the 1991 Zhejiang Province Championships. By 1995 she was competing nationally...
in a television miniseries.
Skills
Mo's style was noted for its excellent form, extension, and difficulty. She also frequently used cheeky choreography on the floor. On the uneven bars, she was the first woman to perform a Gaylord salto, a front flip over the high bar. This skill is now known as the "Mo Salto" in the Code of PointsCode of Points (artistic gymnastics)
A Code of Points is a rulebook that defines the scoring system for each level of competition in gymnastics. There is no unified, international code of points; every oversight organization—such as FIG , NCAA Gymnastics, and most national gymnastics federations—designs and employs its own unique Code...
, and is classified as a "G" element. Only a handful of other women gymnasts have attempted and successfully completed the Mo Salto. In fact, the only women gymnasts who have performed the Mo Salto at international competitions are all from China, including Meng Fei and Bi Wenjing. In 2005 World Championships, Chinese athlete Zhang Yufei
Zhang Yufei
Zhang Yufei is a Chinese gymnast. She was known for performing at a high technical level, but was held back in her career by repeated injuries. She is one of only a handful of female gymnasts to attempt and successfully complete the 'Mo Salto'.-Life after gymnastics:Zhang Yufei moved to San Diego,...
performed it successfully in podium training. However, she was injured during vault qualification, she did not use this skill during bars qualification. Another Chinese athlete, the relatively unknown Zhou Duan, performed the even harder Gaylord II (front flip with half twist over the high bar) at the 1997 East Asian Games.
Mo has performed the following elements in competition:
- Vault: Piked barani, 1.5 twisting and double twisting YurchenkoYurchenko (vault)Yurchenko is the name of both a specific vault and a vault family in artistic gymnastics. The Yurchenko was named after Soviet gymnast Natalia Yurchenko, who originated the vault in the early 1980s....
- Uneven bars: Mo salto, inverted giants, Tkatchev, double layout
- Balance beam: one-arm handstand mount, roundoff — layout to two feet, switch leap — double stag ring leap — back dive 1/4 turn to handstand, front aerial, round off — back handspring — double tuck dismount
- Floor: double layout, piked full-in, whip — whip — double twist, 2.5 twist — punch front tuck, laid out Rudi, laid out front full — punch front tuck. Her music for floor routines was:
- 1994-1995: "The Typewriter" by Leroy AndersonLeroy AndersonLeroy Anderson was an American composer of short, light concert pieces, many of which were introduced by the Boston Pops Orchestra under the direction of Arthur Fiedler...
- 1996: "Yellow River Piano Concerto" by Yin ChengzongYin ChengzongYin Chengzong is a Chinese pianist and composer.-Biography:Born on the "Piano Island" of Gulangyu Island in Xiamen, Fujian, in the People's Republic of China...
- 1994-1995: "The Typewriter" by Leroy Anderson