Just prior to the National Day holiday, China was given further reason to celebrate her birthday, as the country once again walked away winner of the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Cup, while two of the victorious team’s members, as Jiangsunians, gave an additional burst of pride to our home province.
“Raise the national flag; play the national anthem”, were the words chosen by Lang Ping, the national team coach, as to her reply to a reporter prior to the start of the world cup.
It was 11 straight wins in Osaka, Japan, for the Chinese women’s volleyball team. Of the 16 players who participated in the competition, spiker, Zhang Changning (张常宁), and setter, Gong Xiangyu (龚翔宇), both hail from Jiangsu.
Zhang Changning was born to a volleyball family in 1995 in Changzhou, while her present home is Nanjing. Her father, Zhang Yousheng, once participated in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics as the national men’s volleyball chief spiker. Her brother, Zhang Chen, has also played in the same position for the national team. In addition to her first-class skills in pass and defense, Zhang Changning’s serve has always been her specialty, becoming something of a legend that is feared by other players. She can bench press 120 kg.
22-year-old Gong Xiangyu was born in Lianyungang, also to a sporting family. Her mother was previously a national fencing champion and her father was formerly with the Jiangsu under-23 basketball team. Playing her position to perfection during the World Cup, Gong’s role helped the team form a strong and second-to-none offence and defence. Gong also now lives in Nanjing.
Chinese women are good at a variety of team sports, but the volleyball girls are the most proud. Their rise emulates that of China; from an unknown to the-now eleven consecutive championships, the Chinese women’s volleyball team has endured for 65 years to rise to the very pinnacle of the sport.
As coach, Lang, said, “The spirit of the women’s volleyball team is not to win the championship; sometimes they know that they won’t win, but always [to] choose to challenge. It is you who staggers along the way, stands up and shakes off the dust, still with firm eyes. Winning is not a sure thing in life; we can all but try our best”.
The Volleyball Women’s World Cup differs from the Volleyball Women’s World Championship in a number of aspects. While both are contested by the senior women’s national teams of Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) members, the World Cup is considered the senior event as it acts as a first qualifier for the Olympic Games in the following year.
After a 1973 debut in Uraguay, ever since its second outing, Japan has been permanent host for the Volleyball Women’s World Cup, entitling the country’s team to automatic qualification for the event.
