[8] She initially trained in shot put, discus, and javelin, but changed to judo at the age of 14 years.

[4] More international victories followed for Zhuang at the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing and the 1991 World Judo Championships in Barcelona.

[4] At the 1992 Summer Olympics, Zhuang defeated Estela Rodríguez Villanueva from Cuba to win the gold medal in the women's +72 kg division for judo.

[1][2][3][4][6][7] This was China's first Olympic gold medal in judo,[4][7] and was the first of three consecutive victories for China in this competition—Sun Fuming (1996) and Yuan Hua (2000) also won Olympic gold medals in the heaviest women's division in judo.

[13] Following her Olympic victory, Zhuang married and had twin daughters, but separated from her husband a few years later.