The Chinese Women celebrate their bronze medal in Beijing | Beijing, China, October 20, 2008 – Smiling faces, lingering hugs and a fair few tears – that was the emotional scene at the final gathering of the Chinese Women’s national team last week.
The players who first came together in 2000 under the guidance of Head Coach Zhonghe Chen officially disbanded last Tuesday, bringing to an end what the Chinese media had called the “golden generation” after Olympic gold in 2004 and bronze in 2008.
The participating coaches, players and team staff poured out their emotions as they recalled their eight years together that saw them experience the giddy heights of Olympic glory and depressing lows as injuries ravaged the squad in the years that followed their Athens triumph.
“I feel very fortune to be a member of this great group,” said Kun Feng, one of the world’s best setters who was haunted by serious knee injuries after 2004. “We have confidence with each other, help and support each other and have overcome numerous difficulties and great pressure in order to realize our dream – to climb to the top of the podium in world Volleyball.”
“At this moment, I feel deeply grieved and sad as we are going to leave the team, but I have no regrets at all. For the glory of Chinese Women’s Volleyball, we tried our best and made our sacrifice, which is very worthy,” said 30-year-old Feng.
Team captain and opposite Suhong Zhou said: “I loved our team from when I joined it. The bronze medal we clinched in the Beijing Olympic Games is as valuable as the gold medal we had in the Athens Olympic Games as you really do not know how great the difficulties and pressure we met on the way to the glory.”
Head Coach Chen said: “My players and I spent eight years together, enjoying ourselves when we clinched victories, and experiencing sorrow when we suffered setbacks. But we stood up to a variety of pressures, overcame any difficulties and never gave up.
“As a result, we succeeded in wining a World Cup title (in 2003), an Olympic gold medal and a bronze medal. I am very satisfied and the girls really did a good job.
“I really can not describe my feeling now. It is hard to say goodbye because I have been with this team for eight years. None of the medals are more important than a team fighting side by side,” said a tearful Chen.
Chen assumed the position of Head Coach in 2000 with the Chinese at a low ebb. He selected a number young players to replace the older ones, which triggered a wave of criticism, but Chen worked hard to build a team with solid defence and attack.
The team won the 2001 FIVB Grand Champions Cup and claimed the 2003 FIVB World Grand Prix and FIVB World Cup before peaking in 2004 with their first Olympic gold in 20 years.
Li Xu, director of the Chinese Volleyball Administrative Center, the governing body in China, expressed his satisfaction with Chen's efforts: “Chen did well at the past two Olympic Games. As the Head Coach, all the players and coaches tried their best.”
Some Chinese media believe the real "golden generation" for Chinese Women's Volleyball was not the team of the 2000s but the team of the 1980s coached by Weiming Yuan, who later became the Chinese Sport Minister. That team won FIVB World Championships in 1982 and 1986, FIVB World Cup titles in 1981 and 1985 and Olympic gold in 1984 in Los Angeles.
Indeed, from the 2004 Olympic Games, the Chinese team coached by Chen had been in decline and had not won a single major FIVB tournament. At the 2006 FIVB World Championship the Chinese finished fifth. They also were beaten by Japan and missed out on the Asian title in 2007 for the first time in more than two decades.
Chen pointed to the serious injuries of veteran players as a reason for the decline: “Since 2004 so many players suffered injuries which was completely unexpected and threw my preparation plans into great trouble.” Chen did concede, though, that another reason for China’s dip in form was that he did not pay as much importance in fostering young and talented players as he did in 2000.
Most of the disbanded team will return to their provincial teams to play in the National League. Feng will go to Italy to play for Asystel Volley Novara.
Libero Na Zhang, middle blockers Ruirui Zhao and Yan Liu said they may say goodbye to Volleyball and retire sometime after the upcoming National League.
As for coach Chen, he has expressed his desire to continue in his post: “I may be the next Head Coach and also may not. Now the only thing I want to do is rest. Besides, I must think over carefully whether my physical condition allows me to sustain the great pressure which the Head Coach must take.
“I told my players firmly after we finished fifth in the 2006 World Championship that I want only the gold medal in the 2008 Olympic Games, and no silver or bronze medal. Therefore if the Chinese Volleyball Administration Center wishes me to be the Head Coach of the next national team, I will do it and it is my duty. But everything is unknown until next April (2009) when the name of the Head Coach is to be made public,” said Chen. |
