Retired Chinese world champion gymnast Wu Liufang clears family debt through cultural dance videos

Wu, 31, said in an interview with a local media outlet on Wednesday that her parents’ medical expenses pushed her family in Liuzhou City, Guangxi, into financial hardship, the South China Morning Post reported.

She won multiple World Cup titles for China on the balance beam and uneven bars before suffering a neck injury during the 2012 London Olympic trials, which forced her to retire after the 2013 National Games.

She later enrolled at Beijing Sport University and struggled to secure stable employment after graduating. She moved between lower-paying jobs while waiting for a promised permanent government position that never came through.

Wu eventually obtained a dance teacher certificate and worked as an instructor. She said she considered dancing in nightclubs before turning to livestreaming to earn money and repay her family’s debt.

She built her social media presence as a retired gymnast at first and reached 40,000 followers after 4 years. Wu said she typically earned 4,000-5,000 yuan a month, most of which went toward living costs and debt payments.

Wu gained nationwide attention in 2024 after posting dance videos on Douyin wearing short shorts, miniskirts and stockings. The videos received tens of thousands of likes before being removed due to public outrage and criticism from within the gymnastics community.

“My family was in debt and in such difficulty; what dignity was there to speak of?” Wu said, responding to the backlash.

Olympic champion Guan Chenchen publicly criticized Wu for wearing the Team China tracksuit in one of the videos, triggering further online debate. Wu said she did not expect the “minor squabble” to attract such attention and hoped the controversy would eventually fade.

She has since shifted her focus to cultural heritage dance videos featuring traditional Chinese clothing for her 900,000 followers on Douyin.

“Having now paid off the debt, I can pick up my dignity again,” she said.

Wu’s father ran a tailor shop in Liuzhou City for nearly 30 years while her mother raised silkworms in rural areas. The family faced growing financial pressure after e-commerce platforms hurt their business and both parents became ill, with her mother requiring surgery for a malignant tumor.

They were left with 400,000 yuan in debt and monthly interest payments of 1,200 yuan. Wu’s parents said she used her entire 160,000 yuan retirement payment from the national team as a down payment for a family home.

“We owe our daughter a lot,” her mother said.

Wu said her parents rarely interfered with or watched her livestreams.

“To be honest, as long as it wasn’t illegal, they could accept it.

“At the time, I knew our conditions were poor and I really wanted to earn that money,” she said.

Wu said she hopes to save enough money to buy an apartment with an elevator to help her parents, who now have mobility issues.