Photo: Courtesy of China Volleyball Association

With a 3-2 victory defeating the reigning champion Japan, the Chinese women's U20 volleyball team won the Women's Asian U20 Volleyball Championship on Tuesday in Jiangmen, South China's Guangdong Province, reclaiming the title after eight years.

In the past two tournaments, the Chinese youth team had lost twice to Japan in the finals. With the tournament being suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, this victory showcases the progress of the young generation of Chinese volleyball players.

In the first set, both teams fought closely with alternating leads. China sent in substitute outside hitter Dong Yuhan at a critical moment, but Japan managed to score key points with their well-placed shots and gaps, winning the first set 25-23. In the second set, with flexible tactical adjustments, the revamped Chinese team played with greater speed and flexibility, managing to close the gap and win the set 25-21.

In the third set, Japan made more errors while China surged with momentum, taking a significant lead early on and eventually winning 25-17. Japan, strengthened their defense against China's key scorers in the fourth set, winning 25-14 and leveling the match at 2-2, thus forcing a decisive fifth set. In the final set, China's high-point attack efficiency was outstanding, leading 8-4 at the side change. With powerful serves disrupting the opponent's rhythm, China secured the championship with a 15-10 win.

After the match, Chinese women's volleyball team head coach Kuang Qi said that the championship was hard-earned. He praised it as one of the most spectacular finals in recent years in Asian youth volleyball, highlighting the perfect volleyball skills displayed by both teams and their excellent conduct and performance. Kuang believes the championship is the result of the players' hard work, and that the young Chinese players gained confidence from this tournament, which they cherish deeply.

Chinese team captain Wang Yindi was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. After the game, Wang said that they started off a bit unevenly, but after adjusting their mindset, they began to perform at their best.

In this year's tournament, the Chinese team advanced to the semifinals without losing a set, defeating South Korea 3-1 in the semifinals. With the end of this tournament, the qualification for the FIVB Volleyball Women's U21 World Championship in the Asian region has been confirmed, and China qualified as the reigning U21 World Championship champion.

Photo: Courtesy of China Volleyball Association

With the 2024 Paris Olympics round the corner, the Chinese women's volleyball team, which has garnered numerous honors, is under the spotlight. Women's volleyball is traditionally a sport that has impacted generations of Chinese, with the national senior team once bringing major international glory to the country, including winning Olympic gold medals in 1984, 2004, and 2016.

However, in recent years, the team has not been as dominant as before. The path for the Chinese women's volleyball team to qualify for the Paris Olympics has been fraught with challenges. Not only did they fail to win a World Series title, but they also missed out on direct qualification for the Paris Olympic Games in September, after suffering three consecutive losses. The team also struggled in the early stages of the World Volleyball League this year, failing to show the expected strong performance.

The youth team's victory in the Asian Championship undoubtedly injects new hope into the future of Chinese women's volleyball. 

An anonymous sports specialist who has followed the national volleyball team for many years told the Global Times that every team needs to continuously discover new talents and maintain a balanced ratio of experienced and new players to sustain high performance.

"Allowing more coaches and players to grow in the league will elevate the overall level of the national team," he said.

The development of the volleyball league in China shows positive signs. Some young players are getting more opportunities to play on the field. At the same time, related officials are paying more attention to youth training. Local teams are focusing more on talent development, including improvements in youth sports events and university leagues. 

Opinions differ. Wang Dazhao, a Beijing-based commentator, told the Global Times that though China has many great players, the popularity of volleyball remains low. "But as long as we fairly make the development, we can still remain highly competitive in the international arena," Wang said.

Globally, China holds the sixth position, with Japan trailing closely behind in seventh. In the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympic Games group stage, China plays in Group A with the strong team of Serbia, and defending champion team USA.

The Chinese women's volleyball team will make its debut facing the defending champion USA on June 29.