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 "title": "Li Yanjun",
 "updated": "2026-10-25",
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 "excerpt": "Li Yanjun (李延军), born 1963 in Liaoning, China, is a former volleyball player who won gold at the 1984 Olympics and later the 1985 World Cup and 1986 World Championship.",
 "snippet": "Li Yanjun (李延军), born 1963 in Liaoning, China, is a former volleyball player who won gold at the 1984 Olympics and later the 1985 World Cup and 1986 World Championship.",
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 "markdown": "# Li Yanjun\n\n**Li Yanjun** (李延军, born 1963 in Liaoning, China) is a Chinese former volleyball player who won a gold medal with the Chinese women's national team at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/52137)</sup>\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Born | 1963, Liaoning, China<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/52137)</sup> |\n| Measurements | 179 cm / 73 kg; wore jersey number 9<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/52137)</sup> |\n| 1984 Olympics | Gold, women's volleyball; played 4 matches including the final<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/52137)</sup> |\n| World titles | 1985 World Cup gold; 1986 World Championship gold (Czechoslovakia)<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/52137)</sup> |\n| Asian Games | Gold, 1986 Seoul<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/52137)</sup> |\n| Retirement | 1987<sup>[2](https://m1.rw.ttdm.cn/history/3/liyanjun.html)</sup> |\n\n## Early career\nLi entered the Liaoning provincial sports school in 1975, joined a Nanjing army team in 1977, and moved to the Bayi (August First) volleyball team in 1981. She was selected for the national team in 1983.<sup>[2](https://m1.rw.ttdm.cn/history/3/liyanjun.html)</sup> She was named a master of sport in 1982 and an international-level master of sport in 1985, and twice received the State Sports Commission's sports honor medal, in 1984 and 1986.<sup>[2](https://m1.rw.ttdm.cn/history/3/liyanjun.html)</sup>\n\nHer playing position is given differently by sources: the Fushun biographical entry describes her as a middle blocker (副攻手),<sup>[2](https://m1.rw.ttdm.cn/history/3/liyanjun.html)</sup> while the Thai-language reference lists her as an outside hitter.\n\n## 1984 Olympic gold\nAt the Los Angeles Games, the women's volleyball tournament ran from 30 July to 7 August 1984 at the Long Beach venue, with eight teams. The Soviet Union, East Germany, and Cuba boycotted, but the top teams of the era, China and the United States, both took part; China entered as the 1982 world champion.<sup>[3](https://www.olympedia.org/results/37377)</sup> In the final on the evening of 7 August 1984, China defeated the United States in three straight games at the Long Beach Stadium.<sup>[4](https://en.chnmuseum.cn/collections_577/collection_highlights_608/objects_of_chinese_modern_history_611/202008/t20200831_247585.html)</sup>\n\nThe title completed a sequence for the Chinese team: it followed the 1981 Women's World Cup in Japan and the 1982 World Championship in Peru, forming the third \"three consecutive championships\" in the history of world women's volleyball.<sup>[4](https://en.chnmuseum.cn/collections_577/collection_highlights_608/objects_of_chinese_modern_history_611/202008/t20200831_247585.html)</sup> A training ball from the Games, signed by the squad, is held by the National Museum of China; Li Yanjun's signature appears on it alongside those of teammates including [Lang Ping](https://www.edgepedia.org/lang-ping), Zhang Rongfang, and [Liang Yan](https://www.edgepedia.org/liang-yan).<sup>[4](https://en.chnmuseum.cn/collections_577/collection_highlights_608/objects_of_chinese_modern_history_611/202008/t20200831_247585.html)</sup>\n\n## Later titles\nLi remained with the national team through 1986. In 1985 she won the 4th Women's World Cup, and that year the Chinese team also beat a FIVB-organized world star selection in two straight matches. In 1986 she won the 10th Women's World Championship, and the team took gold at the 1986 Seoul Asian Games.<sup>[2](https://m1.rw.ttdm.cn/history/3/liyanjun.html)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/52137)</sup> She retired from play in 1987 and later worked at the training center of the State Organs Work Committee.<sup>[2](https://m1.rw.ttdm.cn/history/3/liyanjun.html)</sup>\n\n## References\n\n1. [Li Yanjun, Olympedia](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/52137)\n2. [李延军：1984年洛杉矶奥运会冠军，抚顺当代人物专题](https://m1.rw.ttdm.cn/history/3/liyanjun.html)\n3. [Volleyball, Women, Los Angeles 1984, Olympedia](https://www.olympedia.org/results/37377)\n4. [Signature Memorial Volleyball of Chinese Women's Volleyball Team, National Museum of China](https://en.chnmuseum.cn/collections_577/collection_highlights_608/objects_of_chinese_modern_history_611/202008/t20200831_247585.html)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Olympics and multisport subjects › Olympic team ball sport players*\n\n*Initially written Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n",
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 "credit": "\"Li Yanjun\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/li-yanjun. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.",
 "credit_md": "\"[Li Yanjun](https://www.edgepedia.org/li-yanjun)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/li-yanjun](https://www.edgepedia.org/li-yanjun). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).",
 "credit_html": "\"<a href=\"https://www.edgepedia.org/li-yanjun\">Li Yanjun</a>\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), <a href=\"https://www.edgepedia.org/li-yanjun\">https://www.edgepedia.org/li-yanjun</a>. <a href=\"https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\">Edgepedia Community License 1.0</a>.",
 "speakable": "Li Yanjun, born 1963 in Liaoning, China, is a former volleyball player who won gold at the 1984 Olympics and later the 1985 World Cup and 1986 World Championship."
}