The condition of China's paralyzed gymnast Wang Yan has improved since she woke up from surgery in Shanghai yesterday.

The 15-year-old underwent her first major surgery in Shanghai No 6 Hospital and her condition is described as stable.

"I feel a lot better," Wang said to Wu Xiqin, gymnastic chief of Zhejiang who was accompanying her during surgery, Sina.com reported.

According to her doctor Xu Jiangguang, Wang's muscular sense is returning and she is able to move her left leg and has regained some hand motion.

"It's too early to say she has overcome the injury right now," said Xu. "Her condition is stable as we expected and we need another 72 hours to monitor her condition."

Wang fell into a coma at the national championships in Shanghai last Sunday after landing head-first on the mat in her dismount from the uneven bars. She fractured her second and third vertebrae.

Elsewhere, injured national volleyball team player Tang Miao returned to Shanghai from Russia for further treatment on Tuesday.

It is still not known whether he will be paralyzed for life following a freak training accident last Wednesday in which he broke his neck.

(China Daily June 21, 2007)