Li Ya

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Li Ya (born June 13, 1988) is a retired Chinese artistic gymnast from Bengbu, Anhui. She specialized on the uneven bars and balance beam. Two of her moves are named after her: the Li Ya salto (a straddled Jaeger release) and the Li Ya dismount (an Arabian double front in a piked position).

Her career highlights include helping China win the team gold at the 2006 World Championships in Aarhus and competing at the 2004 Athens Olympics. On the World Cup circuit, she won uneven bars titles at Glasgow and Ghent in 2004 and earned medals at the Birmingham World Cup Final (bronze on bars, silver on beam). In 2006 she won silver on uneven bars and gold on balance beam at the World Cup Final in Brazil, and she took gold on uneven bars at the Tournament of Masters in Cottbus. In 2007 she won the uneven bars at Maribor and placed on beam.

Li Ya was the 2004 national uneven bars champion and won silver in the national all-around that year. She retired from gymnastics in 2008.