Liao Xiaoyan

Among her first major national competitions was the 2005 Chinese City Games, where she was runner-up to future Olympic medallist Zhang Wenxiu.

[1] She still ranks within the top ten youth hammer throwers, as of 2015.

[2] She established herself within the top senior domestic athletes in the 2005 season.

[3] She threw a new personal best of 65.53 m (214 ft 11+3⁄4 in) to place fifth at the Chinese Athletics Championships.

[6] The season was the peak of her career as she won the gold medal at the 2007 Asian Athletics Championships in a comparatively low calibre field, where her throw of 60.58 m (198 ft 9 in) was sufficient to win by several metres.