Sang Lan is a former Chinese gymnast and television personality.
12 Facts About Sang Lan
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Sang Lan was one of China's strongest vaulters, placing second on the event at the 1995 Chinese Nationals, and gaining championship in 1997.
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In New York City at the Goodwill Games in July 1998, during warm-ups for the vault event final, Sang Lan fell while she was performing a timer.
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Sang Lan underwent spinal realignment, and cervical spine fusion, but the injury to her spinal cord was extensive, and left her paralysed from the mid-chest down.
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Sang Lan remained in New York City for almost a year, receiving rehabilitation at Mount Sinai Hospital.
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Twelve years after her fall, Sang Lan claimed that her fall had been caused by the coach of another team, who had walked into the vault area to remove a mattress after her push-off.
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Sang Lan said she mentioned it when she was sent to hospital, but Chinese officials apparently dismissed her accusation, saying she had brain damage.
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Since returning to China, Sang Lan has become a celebrity and a disability advocate.
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Sang Lan was an ambassador for Beijing's successful 2008 Olympics bid and was selected as an Olympic relay torchbearer.
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Sang Lan has continued a rigorous physical therapy regimen and has regained some use of her arms and hands.
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Sang Lan has expressed an interest in returning to competitive sports and hoped to represent China as a table tennis player at the 2008 Summer Paralympics.
12.
In 2013, Sang Lan married Huang Jian, a former fencer in the Chinese national team.