New coach looks to lead China back to glory

The new coaching staff, led by Zhao, includes Olympic champion Yang Hao, along with experienced coaches Yuan Lingxi, Yu Fei and Zhang Chen. Lai noted that, beyond their professional strengths, the new team will place greater emphasis on development concept and team cohesion.

Zhao and Yang Hao have previously worked together — at the 2023 Chengdu Universiade, when she served as Zhao's assistant coach. Lai added that, since her retirement, Yang Hao has stayed on the frontlines as a coach. With a solid work ethic and strong character, she brings personal experience to her guidance of younger players, and serves as a bridge between the athletes and the head coach, Lai said.

In addition to established world champions, such as Li Yingying, Gong Xiangyu, Wang Yuanyuan and Wang Mengjie, the new roster features a number of national youth players under the age of 20 from the junior national team, signaling a strong commitment to nurturing young talent.

Zhao believes the team must be a mix of veterans, mid-career players and younger athletes. He said senior players set a strong example in mentoring the younger ones, while the mid-generation athletes need to shoulder more responsibility and take on leading roles.

"As for the younger players, I hope to give them more opportunities to showcase themselves on bigger stages," he said.

Zhao's predecessor, Cai, took over as head coach in early 2022. Under his leadership, the team won silver at the 2023 FIVB Volleyball Nations League and took gold at the Hangzhou Asian Games. At the Paris Olympics last year, China finished fifth.

Currently ranked fifth in the world, behind Italy, Brazil, the United States and Turkiye — and with Poland and Japan close behind — China is entering this new cycle as more of a challenger than a front-runner. To reclaim past glory, the team will need more players to rise to the big occasion.

The new-look Chinese women's volleyball team will make its debut under Zhao at the FIVB Women's Volleyball Nations League in June, followed by the Women's World Championship in Thailand this August.