By Town Crier Staff Report

Local coach and Olympic champion Li Lu has been named Coach of the Year by the Northern California Gymnastics Association.

Lu has worked at Gold Star Gymnastics in Mountain View since 1999 as an assistant coach for the girls competitive team.

“We at Gold Star are very proud of Li’s accomplishments and feel quite fortunate to have not only her expertise but also her warm and encouraging approach to teaching,” Gold Star owner Pam Evans said.

Prior to coming to the United States, the 26-year-old Lu was a coach for the Chinese Women’s National Team from 1995-99. She is best known for winning a gold medal for China in the ‘92 Olympics with a perfect 10 on the uneven bars.