China's top 10 sports news in 2010
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5. Chinese women's volleyball team experienced ups and downs in 2010
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China survived two match points to beat South Korea 3-2 to claim the gold medal in the women's volleyball final at 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games. |
The Chinese women's volleyball team, who won the 2004 Olympic title at Athens, began to decline after wrapping up a bronze medal in the 2008 Olympics on home soil. Since a stunning defeat by less fancied Thailand for the first time in the 2009 Asian Championship, they have yet to regain form and confidence.
Former head coach Cai Bin, widely criticized, was dismissed shortly after the championship, while his successor Wang Baoquan also resigned after only six months at the helm due to health problem.
Yu Juemin, who was appointed on September 2 and became the team's third coach in the past 18 months, vowed to regain the glory of the Chinese team.
However, in 2010, China made headlines with an astounding meltdown at the World Championships in Japan. China finished the worlds with 10th spot. The last time China were unable to reach the last eight was in 1974, when they placed 14th.
In the women's volleyball final at November 27, the last day of the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, China survived two match points to beat South Korea 3-2 to claim the gold medal.
With the World Cup in Japan, the year of 2011 offers Yu and his team the chance to redeem themselves but it is obviously a hard mission, especially the participating teams will strive for a ticket for the 2012 London Olympics.
