China's beach volleyball is coming to world's top level: FIVB president
19/8/2008 17:55
China's beach volleyball is coming to join in the world's top level,
International Federation de Volleyball (FIVB) president Dr. Ruben Acosta said
today.
"China now has two beach volleyball teams competing in medal matches
at the Beijing Olympics. It showed that China is coming to the world's top level
in beach volleyball," the 74-year-old Mexican told Xinhua after watching the
women's semifinal between the two Chinese duos, Tian Jia/Wang Jie and Zhang
Xi/Xue Chen.
With a team in the final, China has secured a beach volleyball
silver medal, a historic leap for the country, whose best Olympics finish was
ninth, achieve by Tian and her then partner Wang Fei at the Athens
Games.
"The Chinese player's performance was sensational and was in top
quality," Acosta added.
The president,who is to hand over the presidency to
Chinese Wei Jizhong at the end of the Beijing Games, congratulated the success
of the Chinese players at the Beijing Games.
He said China's success in beach
volleyball at the Beijing Olympics will promote the development of the sport in
China.
"At the moment beach volleyball is not so popular in China, but
through the success it will come to become a major sport in China like other
sports," said the president.
He suggested Chinese players to attend more
international competitions and do more training abroad to further enhance their
competing level.
And China should also hold more FIVB World Tour events to
promote the popularity of the sport in China.
"The beach volleyball ground in
the Chaoyang Park can be the Beijing Station of the FIVB World Tour, for
example," he said.
Xinhua
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