China is making its way to the sandy courts in a bid to become a major power in the realm of beach volleyball.
Inspiring new talent
Zhang Xi is among the new breed of players that the country is banking on to bring it glory in the sport. And to further her chances of taking a shot at more titles, Zhang has decided to move to America, China Sports Beat reported.
According to Zhang, she and her team were the first ones to really bring up the sport of beach volleyball into the Chinese consciousness. Her tandem with Chen Xue surprised their American rivals during the quarterfinals in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, from which they bagged bronze.
She added that moving to California is not only meant for her to get a chance at more titles but also to better understand the sport since it is its birthplace.
The 31-year-old said that the knowledge she will gain will help in further generating interest in the sport back in China.
However, Zhang admitted that there are still some hurdles they have to go through before the sport can be fully embraced in her native land. She noted that some Chinese are still not fond of frolicking under the sun and would want to have an umbrella nearby. But she enthusiastically said that the attitude is slowly changing now.
Rising stars
Zhang's efforts are arguably starting to pay off, as China is slowly showing its might in the sport. In its latest outing, the country bested entries from 12 other nations to come out on the top of the Tuan-Chau Asian Women's Beach Volleyball Tournament in Quang Ninh, Vietnam, Xinhua reported
Kazakhstan came in second place in the four-day tournament, while New Zealand placed third.
The competition was sponsored by the Quang Ninh Department of Culture and Sport and Au Lac Co. Ltd., and drew teams from Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vanuatu and Vietnam.