Ma Yanhong, one of the best women gymnasts in China, was born in Beijing on July 5, 1963. She began to attend regular gymnastics training when she was 9 years old and entered the national team in 1978.

In the 1978 Asian Games, Ma made her debut for China in the Asian Games and won the unparallel bars gold. The following year, she took part in the 20^thWorld Gymnastics Championships and collected the unparallel bars gold, becoming the first Chinese gymnast to win a world title.

At the 1981 World Championships inMoscow, she finished second on uneven bars, fourth all-around (behind three Soviets) and fifth (tie) on floor exercise. At the 1982 World Cup, she was fourth on uneven bars and floor exercise (tie) as well as in the all-around, fifth (tie) on balance beam, and eighth on vault.

Ma capped her career at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, where she tied Julianne McNamara of the United States for gold on unparallel bars, becoming the first woman to win a Olympic gold in China, she also placed fifth on balance beam, and sixth all-around and on floor exercise.

After the event, Ma decided to retire and entered the Shandong Sports Academy for study. In 1987, she went to Britain to study English and then to the United States to for her MBA degree. She returned home seven years later and acted as general manager of the Guoshi Sports Management Co., Ltd.