Liu Chunhong

Defending champion Liu Chunhong broke all the world records in the women's 69 kilogram weightlifting category of the Beijing Olympic Games on Aug. 13, making herself a household name overnight.

Song Zhengyu

Song Zhengyu, a 38-year-old rocket expert, also won nationwide respect for his great contribution to the development of the Long March family of rockets, which successfully sent the manned Shenzhou-7 spacecraft on September 25.

The ten people were selected out of 30 candidates throughout the nation. The awarding ceremony will be held in January 2009.

(Xinhua News Agency December 8, 2008)