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Mike Chan

China will begin their quest to secure qualification for the Paris Olympic Games on Tuesday, hoping to start on the right track with a win over Bulgaria in the Volleyball Nations League in Hong Kong.
The four matches at the Hong Kong Coliseum this week are the final chances for teams to improve their rankings as the remaining five berths for the Games will be allocated after the VNL preliminary phase.
China will then play Germany, Turkey and league leaders Poland in three straight days from Friday.
Chinese head coach Cai Bin said he expected to use star player Zhu Ting more in Hong Kong as his side looks to bounce back from a disappointing VNL leg in Macau.

“I’d expect the rankings would be different after every match [in Hong Kong and Japan],” he said. “So, for us, every match matters.
“For every match, and every point in Hong Kong, our team will do the best we can. I hope the entire team can make the most of every point and play some exciting matches.”
China lost to Japan and then Italy in Macau, conceding the top Asian spot, which guarantees automatic qualification, to Japan with four matches each to go.
Cai was subsequently heavily criticised by Chinese fans and former professionals, some of whom demanded his resignation and questioned whether he was the right man for the job.
Cai said he was responsible for the poor run of results – which saw China slip to world No 7, one behind Japan – but insisted he would maintain an open attitude towards the criticism and doubts.
“We didn’t play to our standard in those two matches; the team also didn’t show its spirit,” the 57-year-old from Zhejiang said. “As the head coach of the team, those losses were on me.”
The lack of playing time for returning star Zhu also raised the fans’ ire.
The 29-year-old started only in a 3-0 win over Thailand at the start of the month, but the towering outside hitter served only one ball in a damaging 3-0 loss at the hands of the Italians on June 2.
But with China’s qualifying quest now hanging in the balance, Cai hinted Zhu would receive more court time in Hong Kong this week.

“Zhu’s return is undoubtedly a great lift for the team and she plays a key role among the players,” the head coach said. “She began to adapt to the team’s rhythm in Macau, especially her cooperation with the setter.
“Since joining the team in Macau, Zhu has been regaining her stamina, but we need to protect her and cannot play her [too much] before she returns to fitness.
“Zhu’s condition is rather good now and her injuries are under control, so I believe we could go all out with our team selections.”
Tickets for VNL Hong Kong range from HK$150 to HK$1,400. The organisers revealed that 80 per cent of Tuesday’s tickets have been sold while the late- session tickets from Friday to Sunday, when China are playing, are all sold out.


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National Games: outspoken Chinese hurdler Wu Yanni chasing beauty as well as results

National Games: Su Weide, Chinese gymnastics’ fallen figure, hopes for redemption

Final cost of staging Paris Olympics, Paralympics €6.6 billion, French auditors say

Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Volleyball Nations League Hong Kong: every match counts for China as Olympics spot beckons

Team captains for the VNL in Hong Kong (from  left): Bulgaria’s Miroslava Paskova, China’s Yuan Xinyue, Poland’s Joanna Wolosz; Thailand’s Thatdao Nuekjang; Brazil’s Gabriela Guimaraes and Turkey’s Eda Erdem. Photo: May Tse

China coach Cai Bin says the losses in Macau “are on me”. Photo: May Tse

Star hitter Zhu Ting will receive more game time in Hong Kong, says coach Cai. Photo: Xinhua

Where is Zhu Ting? China’s women’s volleyball coach Cai Bin addresses Nations League flak

Chinese fans have queried the absence of Zhu Ting from their national team. Photo: Xinhua

Zhu Ting (left, alongside teammate Li Yingying) largely had a watching brief in Macau. Photo: Xinhua

China volleyball team feel fans’ fury before Women’s Nations League in Hong Kong

China’s (from left) Wang Yuanyuan, Gong Xiangyu and Diao Linyu during the loss to Italy last weekend. Photo: Xinhua

Two losses in four games in Macau have led fans and experts to question coach Cai Bin. Photo: Xinhua

Fans, and outside hitter Li Yingying (right), are baffled by the omission of superstar Zhu Ting (left). Photo: Xinhua

China volleyball captain Zhu to end national team exile, drive team’s bid for Paris Olympics qualification

Zhu Ting will return to the China national team for the first time since undergoing wrist surgery after the Tokyo Olympics. Photo: Reuters

Zhu Ting helped her Italian club side to second in the domestic league. Photo: Xinhua

Olympic volleyball legend Xu Yunli backs China for glory at Nations League Hong Kong 2024 in June

China’s Xu Yunli talks to the press at a press conference for the Volleyball Nations League Hong Kong 2024. Photo: Jonathan Wong

China’s Xu Yunli poses for photos at a press conference for the Volleyball Nations League Hong Kong 2024. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Volleyball Nations League: Chinese trio earn dream team consolation after loss to Turkey in final

Melissa Vargas of Turkey (centre) overcomes the Chinese block during the final. Photo: Volleyball Nations League


Sport

China

Hong Kong

Paris Olympics 2024

Heavily criticised Chinese head coach Cai Bin says the team’s poor results are ‘on him’ and he expects to use star Zhu Ting more in Hong Kong


Heavily criticised Chinese coach Cai Bin says the team’s poor results are ‘on him’ and he expects to use star Zhu Ting more in Hong Kong.


Volleyball

Zhu Ting

Volleyball Nations League Hong Kong: every match counts for China as Olympics spot beckons

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}Heavily criticised Chinese head coach Cai Bin says the team’s poor results are ‘on him’ and he expects to use star Zhu Ting more in Hong Kong

Heavily criticised Chinese head coach Cai Bin says the team’s poor results are ‘on him’ and he expects to use star Zhu Ting more in Hong Kong