| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationality | Chinese | |||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1972-09-11)11 September 1972 (age 52) Xingtai,Hebei | |||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) | |||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 57 kg (126 lb) | |||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | |||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | 200 metres,400 metres | |||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Ma Yuqin (born 11 September 1972 inXingtai) is aChinese sprinter who specialized in the400 metres.[1]
In 1988, Ma joined the Hebei Track and Field team.
Her talent was revealed during the 1990 edition of theAsian junior championships. There, she took part in the400 metres and the4 x 400 metres relay. In the 400 m, she won her heat in 55.25 seconds before claiming the final in 53.38 seconds, ahead of fellowLiu Youlan. Then, both teamed up for the 4 x 400 m withLu Ping andLeng Xueyan they to take the gold medal.[2]
In September 1991, at only 19, she improvedLi Guilian's national record on 400 m of 52.13 seconds to 52.04 seconds, during theChinese City Games held inTangshan.
Ma participated in the 1992IAAF World Cup inHavana, her first international outing. There, representing Asia, she competed in the 4 x 400 m with India'sShiny Abraham andKutty Saramma and fellowCao Chunying. The team eventually finished eighth of the race in a poor time of 3:41.94.[3]
However, 1993 marked Ma's real breakthrough. In April of that year, she set the Asian record in the 400 m in a time of 50.94 seconds during a low-key meet inShijiazhuang. A month later, at the National Championships inJinan, she improved it to 50.86.[4]
She was subsequently qualified for the famous 1993National Games of China in September. On September 11, her 21st birthday, she broke her own Asian record, for the third time that year, clocking a world-leading time of 49.81 seconds.On September 12, she set a personal best of 22.95 seconds in the 200 m. On September 13, Ma anchored the Hebei's 4 x 400 m relay team featuringAn Xiaohong, Cao Chunying andBai Xiaoyun to break the Asian record in 3:24.28. Her records still stand today.[5] She was then selected for theAsian Championships in December inManila, where she easily won the 400 m title in 51.23 seconds.
1994 started off well for Ma as she successfully defended her National title in the 400 m in 50.45 seconds during the Chinese Championships held inBeijing. This enabled her to participate in theAsian Games inHiroshima. There, she stamped her authority in the 400 m by winning her heat in 52.35 seconds and then the final in 51.17. The Chinese 4 x 400 m, composed of Leng Xueyan,Zhang Hengyun, Cao Chunying and Ma won the event in 3:29.11.
At the 1995 edition ofWorld Indoor Championships, she competed withZhang Hengyun,Lu Xifang and Cao Chunying on 4 x 400m. The team finished fifth and last of the race but set a new area record in the process.
Her last appearance was in May 1997 where she ran a 400 m in 53.28 seconds.[6]
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Representing China | |||||
| 1990 | Asian Junior Championships | Beijing | 1st | 400m | 53.38 |
| 1st | 4 x 400m | 3.46.11 | |||
| 1992 | World Cup | Havana | 8th | 4 x 400m | 3:41.94 |
| 1993 | National Games of China | Beijing | 1st | 400m | 49.81 (WL) (AR) |
| 1st | 4 x 400m | 3.24.28 (AR) | |||
| Asian Championships | Manila | 1st | 400m | 51.23 | |
| 1994 | Asian Games | Hiroshima | 1st | 400m | 51.17 |
| 1st | 4 x 400m | 3:29.11 | |||
| 1995 | World Indoor Championships | Barcelona | 5th | 4 x 400m | 3.39.76 (AR) |
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