Career
Born in China, she moved to Kazakhstan in 2007 and competes for Kazakhstan. The government of Kazakhstan rejected this claim and accused China of "poor sportsmanship".
Born in China, she moved to Kazakhstan in 2007 and competes for Kazakhstan. The government of Kazakhstan rejected this claim and accused China of "poor sportsmanship".
She won the gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the 63 kg category by lifting a combined weight of 245 kg and set a new Olympic record in the process. Following her Olympic medal win the government Xinhua news agency claimed that Maiya and fellow weightlifter Zulfiya Chinshanlo should be regarded as Chinese.
Maiya is a member of the ethnic Dungan minority.
