The Cradle of Giants: Ding Xia's Volleyball Road
In an ordinary family in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, a special girl is thriving. She is Ding Xia, a girl destined to form an indissoluble bond with volleyball.
Ten-year-old Ding Xia has grown to an astonishing 1.67 meters, a height that stands out among girls of the same age. Her tall figure and flexible movements make her always the center of attention in physical education class.
One day, the physical education teacher's eyes were attracted by this "little giant". He keenly noticed that Ding Xia was not only tall, but also had long hands and feet, and excellent coordination of movements. It happened that the sports school was recruiting outstanding seedlings at that time, and the physical education teacher did not hesitate to recommend Ding Xia to the sports school coach Liu Xinhui.
Coach Liu took a fancy to Ding Xia's potential at first sight. After discussing with Ding Xia's parents, Ding Xia officially embarked on the road of volleyball. However, the road is not smooth. The sports school is far away from home, and it takes a lot of time to go back and forth every day.
At first, it was the grandfather who picked her up, but considering the old man's age, Ding Xia's mother made a big decision - to give up her job and support her daughter's dream wholeheartedly. No matter the wind or rain, Ding Xia never arrived late or left early.
She cherishes every opportunity to train and practices hard day in and day out. With the support of her family and her own efforts, Ding Xia's skills have improved little by little. In 2004, 14-year-old Ding Xia witnessed the brilliant victory of the Chinese women's volleyball team in the Athens Olympics.
That year, the Chinese women's volleyball team met a strong opponent Russia in the final, and finally won the Olympic championship with the never-say-die fighting spirit. This game deeply shocked Ding Xia, and a dream sprouted in her heart: one day, she will also stand on that podium and win glory for the country.
Since then, Ding Xia has trained harder. Her hard work quickly paid off, and she excelled in major competitions. Coach Zheng of the Liaoning team took a fancy to Ding Xia's potential and recruited her into his team.
Under the careful training of coach Zheng Zongyuan, 19-year-old Ding Xia took only two years to sit in the setter position in the Liaoning provincial team. However, this is far from the end of Ding Xia.
Her goal is the national team, and she has worked tirelessly to that end. In 2013, Ding Xia rose to prominence at the National Games, and the Liaoning team won the runner-up. With this silver medal, Ding Xia finally entered the national team training camp for the first time.
Ding Xia's fate with the national team began, but the road was not smooth. After playing the women's volleyball elite in 2014, she was withdrawn from the Liaoning provincial team, which once made her doubt her ability.
But Ding Xia was not defeated, and she continued to work hard to show her strength and potential in the following matches. This experience is an important foundation for Ding Xia to grow into Lang Ping's right-hand man in the future.
Her persistence and hard work laid a solid foundation for her later brilliant performance in the national team.
Blooming: Ding Xia's golden years
2015 was a turning point for Ding Xia. In the Women's Volleyball World Cup, she gradually found her place and became an important part of Lang Ping's tactical system. This marked that Ding Xia really stood firm on the stage of the national team and paved the way for her later glory.
However, it was the Rio 2016 Olympics that really made Ding Xia shine. This Olympics was full of challenges for the Chinese women's volleyball team, losing several times in the group stage, and finally barely qualified for the fourth place in the group.
But it was in such adversity that Ding Xia showed her strength and value. In the crucial final, when the starting setter Wei Qiuyue failed to open the situation, Lang Ping made a key decision - to send Ding Xia.
It was a stroke of genius. Ding Xia quickly adjusted her state, accelerated the team's offensive tempo, and successfully boosted the morale of the entire Chinese team. In the end, the Chinese women's volleyball team reversed the strong rival Serbia with a score of 3:1 and reached the top of the Olympic Games again after 12 years.
This game not only brought the Chinese women's volleyball team back to the top, but also established Ding Xia's status in the national team. Since then, she has become a well-deserved main setter. Ding Xia's performance proved Lang Ping's discernment and also showed her outstanding ability to play under high pressure.
After the Rio Olympics, Ding Xia ushered in the golden period of her career. At the 2017 World Women's Volleyball Grand Prix, although the Chinese team only finished fourth, Ding Xia was selected as the best setter with her outstanding performance.
This personal honor is another affirmation of her strength. In the subsequent important events such as the Grand Champions Cup, the Jakarta Asian Games, and the World Women's Volleyball Championship, Ding Xia continued to play a central role.
Her setters are accurate and powerful, creating plenty of scoring opportunities for her teammates and making her an integral part of the team. However, behind the brilliance lies also hidden worries. As she grew older and played high-intensity games, injuries began to plague Ding Xia.
Despite this, she gritted her teeth and persevered, proving her worth with her performance. In competitions, she always gives her best, even if her body is in unbearable pain, she never gives up easily.
This spirit of not being afraid of difficulties is the reason why Lang Ping has always admired Ding Xia. Ding Xia is not only outstanding in technique, but more importantly, she has the will qualities that an excellent athlete should have.
On the field, she is a reliable backing for her teammates; Off the pitch, she has also become a role model for the younger players. During this period, Ding Xia was like a sonorous rose blooming on the field, beautiful and strong, standing proudly in the wind and rain.
Every wonderful pass she made and every desperate save interpreted the fighting spirit of the Chinese women's volleyball team. Ding Xia proved with her own actions that she is not only Lang Ping's right-hand man, but also the leader of the new generation of the Chinese women's volleyball team.
Flying Against the Wind: A 31-Year-Old Choice
In 2021, the Tokyo Olympics was an indescribable setback for the Chinese women's volleyball team. The team's performance was abnormal, and Ding Xia failed to play at the level she should have.
At the age of 31, she is facing unprecedented doubts and pressure. The defeat on the field has led many to question whether the former main setter can continue to play a heavy role.
In competitive sports, 31 years old is no longer young. Many people believe that Ding Xia's career should come to an end. Even Ding Xia's parents began to worry about their daughter's lifelong events, hoping that she could get married and start a family as soon as possible.
After all, in their opinion, not getting married at this age is far beyond ordinary people, and the more it drags on, the more difficult it will be. However, Ding Xia's choice was beyond everyone's expectations. She refused to retire and decided to continue her volleyball career.
This decision stems from her love for volleyball, but also from the unfulfilled dream in her heart - she wants to fight for another championship. In 2022, Ding Xia, as the oldest player in the national team, is still running, jumping, and directing on the field.
Although the overall performance is not as good as before, she still allows the audience to see the shadow of the once absolute main force. Her persistence and fighting spirit infected her teammates and moved the audience.
However, injuries are always around. At the end of 2022, Ding Xia had to undergo surgery. It wasn't until March 2023 that she returned to the ring. At this time, it is difficult for Ding Xia to occupy the main position in the national team.
But she didn't give up. In 2023, the 33-year-old Ding Xia made a bold decision - to join the Poland Polyice chemical team and start her overseas career. The decision came as a surprise to many, and some scoffed at it.
But for Ding Xia, this is another attempt to chase her dreams. In Poland, Ding Xia came on as a substitute to help the team win the Super Cup. This is her first championship after staying abroad, and it is also the best proof of her choice.
In the subsequent games, Ding Xia got more opportunities to play and showed her value. However, the road to overseas travel has not been easy. On December 31, 2023, Ding Xia revealed on her personal social account that she was almost "returned" because of injuries.
But she has persevered and has not given up on her dream of playing volleyball. On January 13, 2024, Ding Xia ushered in her 34th birthday. At this age when she should be enjoying life, she is still running around on the field in a foreign country, fighting for her dreams.
This indomitable spirit is exactly why Lang Ping has always admired her. Ding Xia's story shows the courage and determination of an athlete facing a turning point in his career. She proved with practical actions that age is just a number, and what really matters is the love in her heart and the spirit of never giving up.
Balance and choice: Ding Xia on and off the court
Although Ding Xia's career is shining, she is facing a lot of pressure in her personal life.
As the only daughter in the family, her parents were particularly concerned about her marital problems. In traditional Chinese beliefs, a woman who is single at this age is often considered a "problem".
Ding Xia's parents are full of conflicts. On the one hand, they are extremely proud of their daughter's achievements in volleyball. Seeing their daughter standing on the podium of the Olympic Games and winning glory for the country, their hearts were full of pride.
But on the other hand, they are worried about their daughter's life's events. They hope that Ding Xia can find her other half as soon as possible and start a family. This ambivalent mood often bothers them.
However, Ding Xia didn't seem to be in a hurry. In her opinion, volleyball is the most important thing at the moment. She hopes to create another success on the pitch and win more honours for her country.
This balance between professional pursuits and personal life became a difficult problem for her. In the face of doubts and pressure from the outside world, Ding Xia chose to insist on herself. She understands that her choices may not be understood by everyone, but she believes that as long as she has a clear conscience, she does not need to care about the eyes of others.
As she showed in the competition, Ding Xia also showed strength and courage in life. In the national team, Ding Xia also plays the role of "big sister". As the oldest player in the team, she uses her experience and wisdom to help the young players grow and inspire their fighting spirit.
In the 2022 competition, despite the poor overall performance, Ding Xia still used her strength to let the audience see the style of the absolute main force at the beginning. Her existence is not only a technical support, but also a spiritual guidance.
Ding Xia's story is not only an athlete's career, but also a microcosm of a woman's quest for a balance between pursuing her dreams and facing social pressures. Her choice and persistence have opened up a possibility for many women facing similar predicaments.
Between her parents' urging to marry and her own career pursuit, Ding Xia chose the latter. This does not mean that she does not value her family, but she believes that at this stage, she still has unfinished dreams to chase.
Her parents, though worried, ultimately chose to support their daughter's decision. As Ding Xia's mother said, "We are her strong backing." Ding Xia's choice shows the independence and autonomy of a modern woman.
She proves with her actions that women can not only achieve in the workplace, but also organize their lives at their own pace. This kind of courage and determination is one of the reasons why Lang Ping admires her.
Don't give up: a new journey at the age of 34
On January 13, 2024, Ding Xia spent her 34th birthday in Poland. On this day, she posted a post on her personal social media, reviewing her volleyball career.
She admitted that she was almost "returned" due to injury problems, but she never gave up and insisted on playing volleyball. 34-year-old Ding Xia is still fighting for her dream.
Although her body is not as good as before, her heart is still young. She knows that her career may be countdown, but she hopes to make it to the last minute and contribute to the volleyball cause.
Ding Xia's persistence reminds people of Lang Ping's words: "There is no hurdle that cannot be overcome." As Lang Ping's beloved apprentice, Ding Xia interpreted the meaning of this sentence with her own actions.
Her story is not only a legend of an athlete, but also an inspirational story of dreams, perseverance and courage. In the twilight of her career, Ding Xia is still chasing the seemingly unattainable goal - to fight for another championship.
This perseverance and courage is the best interpretation of the spirit of the Chinese women's volleyball team. Even though she can only play as a substitute in the Poland League, Ding Xia still cherishes every opportunity to play and proves her worth with her performance.
Ding Xia's story teaches us that age should not be an obstacle to pursuing dreams. As long as there is love in the heart, as long as you can still contribute to the team, it is never too late.
This spirit of not giving up is not only responsible for one's career, but also the inheritance of the spirit of the Chinese women's volleyball team.