She was born in Chifeng in 1981. Like her fellow athlete Song Lingling, she acquired a leg disability due to polio. While working at a factory in 2009, she was discovered and encouraged to pursue a career in para powerlifting. Li Weipu became her coach, and she made her international debut the following year at the World Championships in Kuala Lumpur, reaching the final in the under 75kg category.[2] Xu also competed at the 2015 IPC Powerlifting Asian Open Championships, where she won silver,[3] and at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro.[4]
She won the silver medal in the women's 73 kg event at the 2020 Summer Paralympics held in Tokyo, Japan,[5] finishing behind Mariana D'Andrea of Brazil. She broke her record by lifting 138 kg. A few months later, she won the gold medal in the same category at the 2021 World Para Powerlifting Championships held in Tbilisi, Georgia.[6] With this result, she reclaimed the title of world champion in the women's up-to-73kg category.[7]
China
