As a talented athlete, he entered China national diving team in 1989.

In 1990, he won the gold medal in the 10 meter platform in Asian Games.

He won the gold medal in the 10 meter platform event at the 1992 Summer Olympics, at only 16 years of age.

The outcome was somehow shocking nationwide at that time, especially when Xiao Hailiang and Tian Liang only won the third and the fourth places in that Olympics.

However, due to chronic injury, he did not attend the Olympic Games in Sydney.