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Wang Junxia, born in the coastal city of Dalian in Northeast China's Liaoning Province on January 9, 1973, is one of China's best women runners, having won many championships in long and middle distance races both at home and abroad.

Wang began to practice long and middle distance running at the age of 15 and entered the Liaoning provincial track and field team three years later, coached by Ma Junren, a famous track and field coach.

In 1992, she collected the 10,000m title in the 4^thWorld Junior Track and Field Championships. The following year, she finished 1^stin the 10,000m in the 4^thWorld Track and Field Championships and 1^stin the marathon in the 5^thWorld Cup before collecting the 3,000m, 10,000m titles in the 7^thNational Games and breaking the 10,000m world record in this event.   

In 1994, Wang won the 10,000m titles both at the National Track and Field Championships and at the Asian Games. She also claimed the championship at that year's Beijing International Marathon.

In September 1995, she collected the 5,000m and 10,000m titles at the 11^thAsian Track and Field Championships. One month later, she grasped one gold and one silver in the 3^rdChina City Games.

The following year, Wang added the 5,000m gold and 10,000m silver to China's medal tally at the Atlanta Olympics. After this event, Wang went into retirement and in 1999, she entered the People's University of China to study law.

In 1994, Wang Junxia was given the Jesse Owens Award, becoming the first Asian to earn this prestigious international track and field prize.