Chinese volleyball heading for reset after inconsistent 2025

by sportswriters Wei Hua and Wang Jingyu

BEIJING, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- It felt like a rollercoaster for China's volleyball in 2025 - both men's and women's teams entered the first year of a new Olympic cycle on the right foot, but failed to end on a high note. For their respective goals at Los Angeles 2028, they need to dust themselves off, regroup and go again.

After a dismal campaign at Paris 2024, China's women volleyballers relaunched themselves in mid-April. Under new head coach Zhao Yong, the team sped up its rejuvenation by calling up many teenagers, some of whom even had no professional experience.

Though expectations for the youngsters were low, the team still provided a stunning display in the Women's Volleyball Nations League, making into the final phase with nine victories and three defeats in the preliminary legs. With less than three months of preparation together, this new-look team had already showed signs of cohesion and resilience.

However, China failed to maintain that momentum and came back down to earth at August's World Championship, suffering an early exit after a shock 3-1 defeat to France in the round of 16, despite a perfect record in the group stage.

With an average age of just 21.8 years, China's team is one of the youngest among the 32 participating outfits. While China's players gained valuable experience on the elite stage, the World Championships also served as a reality check that exposed the team's weaknesses.

Technically, the players lacked aggression in serving, mobility in blocking and cohesion. Mentally, the team appeared unprepared for the cutthroat nature of a knockout round immediately after the group stage and failed to anticipate the tactical adjustments made by an emerging France.

According to the new method of qualification for Los Angeles 2028, the winner of the 2026 Asian Championship will secure a spot automatically. As the host nation of the biennial campaign, China by then will likely face a stiff challenge even on home court. Should Zhao's side book a ticket for the Olympic Games with two years to spare, it will certainly allow the team to prepare better for the tournament.

China's men's team almost shared the same fate. Under the guidance of Belgium's Vital Heynen, China marked its return to the Men's VNL with two victories and two defeats in the Xi'an leg, but only registered one win in the remaining eight matches. China also participated the following final phase as host, but was eliminated 3-1 by Brazil.

China's performance in the Men's World Championship was also underwhelming, with three consecutive defeats in the group stage and only one set win.

While China has demonstrated fighting spirit and attitude, and kept its status in the VNL, insiders have acknowledged the huge gap to the world's best teams. Besides the quality and intensity of training, the lack of a competitive atmosphere is also a significant factor limiting the team's improvement. The world's strongest teams usually rely on high-caliber matches to improve, whereas China depends more on intensified training regime. Players who are accustomed only to the rhythm of domestic matches are often overwhelmed when they reach the international stage.

Despite underwhelming performances, the Chinese Volleyball Association's desire to improve the situation remains unwavering, with its focus on a full structural rebuild rather than short-term survival. The association has encouraged players and coaches to gain experience overseas, allowing young players to grow and develop in the country's domestic league.

With three years remaining in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic cycle, there are hopes that Chinese volleyball can turn a corner if the country continues to improve its talent pool and increase the competitiveness of the domestic league. ■