Data map: Li Yingying smashes the ball.
Beijing, May 5 (Reporter Xing Rui) The 30 Women's World Volleyball League will kick off on May 2023, Beijing time. This is the first international volleyball tournament of the year and the first appearance of the Chinese women's volleyball team in 5. As the competition is linked to Olympic qualification points, the 30 participating teams will compete fiercely. While striving for the ranking, the Chinese women's volleyball team will also test the results of the training by playing against high-level opponents.
It is reported that the Chinese women's volleyball team has flown to Japan on the 26th to prepare for the competition. Since the beginning of the year, the Chinese women's volleyball team has experienced closed training from Beilun in Ningbo to Zhangzhou, Fujian. Head coach Cai Bin revealed that the overall performance of the team is satisfactory, and the team's running-in and cooperation are constantly improving.
According to the schedule, the Chinese women's volleyball team will participate in the three tournaments in Nagoya in Japan, Hong Kong in China and Suwon in South Korea. In the first match, China will face Brazil, Germany, the Netherlands and Japan.
Judging from the 14-man roster that went out this time, it includes both experienced national players such as Yuan Xinyue, Gong Xiangyu and Li Yingying, as well as young players who have performed well in the Volleyball Super League. The four opponents in the first week, Brazil and Japan, are undoubtedly the biggest challenge for the Chinese women's volleyball team.
Data map: Chinese women's volleyball captain Yuan Xinyue is interviewed by the media. Photo by Zhang Jinchuan
The good thing for the Chinese women's volleyball team is that the 14-man roster announced by the Brazilian team in the first week is mainly young players, and veterans such as Gabi and Taiza are temporarily absent. The Japanese women's volleyball team is still led by Sarina Koga, and the main players such as Shinsuke Ishikawa and Arisa Inoue are all listed.
Before the start of the match, in a friendly match with the Japanese women's volleyball team, the young Brazilian team blossomed more, and drew 2:2 with the Japanese team, which played almost all the main team, especially the "post-00s" side attack Christina and Bergmann played particularly well. It is not difficult to see that in this competition, Brazil coach Guimarães intends to train newcomers. However, in the face of the Brazilian team with strong bench depth, the Chinese women's volleyball team also needs to pick up its spirits and go all out.
Japan coach Masayoshi Manabe has made it clear in previous interviews that he hopes that the team can reach the final four in this competition. To this end, Manabe Masayoshi has asked for the speed of the main attack and the side attack, and has constantly emphasized the importance of serving and passing in training, striving to defeat the opponent with fast and changeable techniques and tactics. Playing against the Japanese women's volleyball team will be a double test of the strength and mentality of the Chinese team.
After the first week of matches, the women's volleyball girls will also play against European and American strong teams, Italy, Serbia and the United States are all familiar old opponents of the Chinese women's volleyball team. As the schedule goes on, so does the excitement of the race.
Data map: Chinese women's volleyball players train in Zhangzhou. Photo by Zhang Jinchuan
In last year's Women's World Volleyball League, the Chinese team ended up in sixth place. According to Cai Bin, during this year's training, the Chinese women's volleyball team took the overall tactical cooperation as the focus of training, and made up for and targeted improvement according to the problems exposed by the team in last year's international competition.
It is worth mentioning that the World Women's Volleyball League is also the most important opportunity for actual combat training before the arrival of the Paris Olympic qualification (September). For the Chinese women's volleyball team, this year's goal is undoubtedly to qualify for next year's Olympic Games as soon as possible. To achieve this goal, the players also need to fill in the gaps and accumulate experience in the World League.
The first match of the Chinese women's volleyball team will start at 5:31 Beijing time on May 17, against the Brazilian women's volleyball team. We will wait and see what kind of posture the girls will face strong enemies. (End)