Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Zheng Fengrong died on Tuesday at age 89, according to World Athletics. At 20, she made history in Beijing in November 1957 by clearing 1.77 meters to set a new high jump world record. This surpassed the previous 1.76-meter mark held by Mildred McDaniel and Iolanda Balaș, making Zheng the first Chinese athlete to set a world athletics record and the first Chinese woman to set a world record in any sport. She held the title for nearly seven months before Balaș reclaimed it with a 1.78-meter jump in June 1958.
Born in May 1937 in Jinan, Shandong province, Zheng joined the national athletics training team in 1953. She quickly rose among China's top athletes, winning the high jump at the National High School and College Games in 1954. Zheng showed versatility by winning both the high jump and triathlon at the first Chinese National Games in 1959, and the heptathlon at the 1965 Games. She also won pentathlon titles at the Games of the New Emerging Forces in 1963 and both the high jump and pentathlon in 1966.
Despite her achievements, Zheng did not compete at the Olympic Games due to China's absence during her peak years. After retiring, she remained influential in Chinese athletics, serving as vice-president of the Chinese Athletics Association. In 1996, she received the Silver Olympic Order for her contributions to the Olympic movement. She was also one of eight former Chinese athletes and coaches who carried the Olympic flag during the 2008 Beijing Olympics opening ceremony.
Zheng's legacy continues through her family. Her granddaughter, Zheng Ninali (formerly Nina Schultz), switched allegiance from Canada to China and competed in the heptathlon at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, fulfilling Zheng Fengrong’s wish for her family to participate in the Games.