Her first international achievement was a fifth place at the 1987 World Championships, something which happened again at the 1991 World Indoor Championships. One year later she won an Olympic silver medal behind Chen Yueling. Success followed over the next years, and in 1996 she became the second and last Olympic champion in the 10 kilometres distance, which was replaced by 20 km. Proving to handle the longer distance as well, she won the title at the 2003 World Championships in Paris.