Time to hit the overdrive button

After the completion of qualifiers for the Chinese National Games, Lang has assembled 20 players this week at the national base in Ningbo, Zhejiang province for the final three-month training program, which includes overseas trips.

Drawn in Group B with the US, Russia, Italy, Argentina and Turkey in Tokyo, Lang's team will rely on the experience of core players from the 2016 Olympic champion squad, such as spiker Zhu Ting and setter Ding Xia, to lead an otherwise young group at the 12-squad Olympic tournament, which runs from July 25-Aug 8.

Although not as strong as their volleyball counterparts, Chinese women in other team ball sports, such as soccer, basketball and rugby sevens, have also shown encouraging form for the Games.

The Chinese women's soccer team, aka the Steel Roses, thrilled the whole nation on Tuesday by booking its ticket to Tokyo with a 4-3 aggregate playoff victory over South Korea in Suzhou, Jiangsu province.