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Text: Lin Qingxia
Edited by Lin Qingxia
As the 33rd Summer Olympic Games approach, the eyes of the world's sports enthusiasts are focused on the romantic capital of France.
In the early hours of this Saturday morning, the Paris Olympics will amaze the world with an unprecedented opening ceremony!
Unlike previous editions, the opening ceremony will abandon the traditional stadium in favor of a water feast on the Seine, which is undoubtedly a bold break with the Olympic tradition.
The Chinese delegation is ready to go, and the women's volleyball team is the focus
Among the many events of the Chinese Olympic team, the women's volleyball team is undoubtedly one of the most watched collective events. As the only team in China's three major sports that has won the top of the Olympic Games, the women's volleyball team shoulders the high expectations of fans across the country.
Since the 80s of the last century, the spirit of "tenacious struggle and never say die" has been like a banner, inspiring generations of Chinese people to move forward bravely.
The Chinese women's volleyball team set off from Zhangzhou, Fujian Province to Paris on July 20, and immediately devoted itself to intense training after arriving. They will face their first opponent on July 29 at 11 p.m. Beijing time, the strong United States women's volleyball team.
This game is of great significance to head coach Cai Bin, and it can be described as a tough battle that cannot be lost.
Cai Bin: Fight again in the Olympics under heavy pressure
Looking back on Cai Bin's coaching career, it can be described as ups and downs. In 2009, he took charge of the national team for the first time, but the results were not satisfactory, and he left the post after only one year.
Until February 2022, he returned again and took over the burden left by Lang Ping. Over the past two years, the Chinese women's volleyball team led by Cai Bin has performed decently, and the most eye-catching achievement is winning the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games.
However, only finishing sixth at the 2022 Women's Volleyball World Championships and losing streak at the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in September 2023 have left Cai Bin in doubt.
Fortunately, the Chinese women's volleyball team finally successfully qualified for the Paris Olympics with the world ranking, but this also means that Cai Bin is facing the most severe test in his career.
Paris Olympics: Opportunities and challenges for the Chinese women's volleyball team
The women's volleyball competition at this Olympic Games adopted a new format, and the group stage was changed from the original two groups to three groups, and each team only played three group games.
Such a change has undoubtedly increased the uncertainty of the game and made every game crucial.
The Chinese women's volleyball team was placed in Group A, the strongest of the teams, with defending champions United States, world champions Serbia and host France.
In order to advance to the quarterfinals, the Chinese women's volleyball team needs to win at least two games in the group stage, which is by no means an easy task.
First match against United States: A crucial battle
The first match between the Chinese women's volleyball team and the United States team will be broadcast live on CCTV1, which fully reflects the great importance that the country attaches to this match.
If they can beat the strong United States team, the Chinese women's volleyball team will lay a solid foundation for qualifying from the group; On the contrary, the pressure on the subsequent matches will increase sharply.
Three key players to watch: The return of captain Zhu Ting is undoubtedly the biggest positive, as she can bring a huge boost to the team in terms of mental level and tactical execution.
The main attacker Li Yingying has grown into an absolute main force after the Tokyo Olympics, and the main offensive line with Zhu Ting can be called the top in the world.
Setter Diao Linyu is a rookie that Cai Bin focuses on cultivating, and whether she can play steadily in her first Olympic Games will directly affect the overall performance of the team.
Looking forward to the Chinese women's volleyball team to create another glory
A week later, the Chinese women's volleyball team will start its journey at the Paris Olympics. Fans across the country are looking forward to them continuing the spirit of women's volleyball and shining again on the world stage.
I don't know what you think about this? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section below and see you next time!