Tao Li (Chinese: 陶李; pinyin: Táo Lǐ; born 10 January 1990) is a Chinese-born Singaporean competitive swimmer who specializes in the backstroke and butterfly.

In December 2006, Tao won gold at the 50 metres butterfly in Doha's 2006 Asian Games, beating China's multi-gold medallist Xu Yanwei and breaking her own national record in the process.

Earlier in the year, she became the first Singaporean female swimmer to reach a FINA World Aquatics Championships final, finishing seventh in the 50 metres butterfly.

She qualified in the 100 metres finals, ranking fourth in the semifinals with a time of 57.54 seconds and setting two Asian records in two days.

She was expected to continue with her education there until she graduates with a diploma in sports science under an arrangement between the school and the Auckland University of Technology.

[3] In March the following year, she won gold in the 50 metres butterfly at the Milo Asia Swimming Championships in Singapore, the Republic's first top award at the competition.

[3] In December the same year, Tao won a gold medal at the 50 metres butterfly in Doha's 2006 Asian Games, beating China's multi-gold medallist Xu Yanwei and breaking her own national record in the process.

In January 2008, Tao became embroiled in controversy after the Singapore Swimming Association (SSA) introduced a 15% levy on the cash awards given to swimmers, with about 6% set aside for youth development.

As part of the government's Multi-Million Dollar Award Programme (MAP), she received S$23,750 for winning three individual titles and one team gold at the 2007 SEA Games.

The SSA said it was "very disappointed" with her comments, and pointed out that the association had spent "easily in excess of $20,000" in sending her for competitions abroad such as the World Championships, Hong Kong Open and Japan International, and a stint at the Australian Institute of Sport.

SSA Vice-President Oon Jin Gee told the press, "Even with the Sports School funding it, it's our taxpayers' dollars going into her development.

She came in fourth behind her role model, Australian swimmer Lisbeth Trickett,[23] and the USA's Christine Magnuson and Australia's Jessicah Schipper.

The Singapore Sports Council's high performance chief Wayde Clews has said: "Money will not be a prohibitive factor in providing the support and necessary resources for Tao Li to reach her full potential ... with the 2012 Olympics as the target.

"[9] As Tao needs to gain more high-level competing experience, there is also the issue of whether she should continue training in Singapore or head overseas, particularly to Australia or the US.

[39] On 18 November 2010, Tao won Singapore's first gold medal at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, in the 50 metres butterfly.

The next day, in the women's 100 metres backstroke, she bettered her national record with a time of 1 minute 1.6 seconds but did not advance beyond the heats, ranking 26th out of 45 swimmers.