A combative striker for the "Steel Roses" - China's women's football team - Ma has been likened to a female Wayne Rooney, for her talent and temperement.

Badly injured in a friendly earlier in the year, Ma faced a battle to be fit for the Olympics, but was named in the squad for Beijing, boosting the nation's medal hopes.

The 20-year-old is one of the faces of Olympic advertising in China, alongside more internationally-known stars like Yao Ming and Liu Xiang.

She was the star of China's AFC Women's Asian Cup-winning side of 2006, winning the player of the tournament.