Linli Zhang

Zhang Linli is a retired Chinese long-distance runner, born on 6 March 1973 in Shenyang. She established herself as a world-class competitor across a remarkable range of distances, from the 1500 metres all the way up to the marathon.

Her most notable achievement came on 12 September 1993, when she broke the world record in the women's 3000 metres. This performance placed her among the elite runners of her era and cemented her reputation as one of China's finest distance athletes during a period of extraordinary dominance by Chinese women in middle- and long-distance running.

Zhang Linli's ability to compete at the highest level across such a wide spectrum of events, spanning from the 1500 metres to the marathon, demonstrated exceptional versatility and endurance that set her apart from many of her contemporaries.