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Spikers topple Jiangsu, Yang lives up to hype
22/10/2005 7:56

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Shanghai men¡¯s volleyball players celebrate after winning the final against host Jiangsu at the 10th National Games in Huaian yesterday.¡ªXinhua

 

Shanghai outclassed defending champion Jiangsu in five sets yesterday in the men's volleyball final at the 10th National Games.
Shanghai, winners of the domestic league in 2004 and 2005, took the match in one and a half hours, 26-24, 20-25, 25-17, 17-25, 15-13.
In the bronze-medal game, the PLA team defeated Shandong 3-1 (22-25, 25-15, 25-15, 25-13).
Shanghai is seventh in the medals standing.
In front of boisterous home fans, Jiangsu took charge in the early stage of each set but always committed errors in critical moments.
Leading 14-13 in the decisive fifth set, Shanghai converted match point by courtesy of a service error by Jiangsu veteran Shi Hairong.
Shi then fell on to the court in disappointment, while Shanghai players hugged each other in celebration of their hard-earned victory.
On the track, Shanghai's Yang Yaozu raced to an easy victory in men's 200m in 20.73 seconds in Nanjing.
"I had been training in US for some time just before the Games which helped me to figure out my faults. I improved on them step by step and prepared well for the race.
"I was still nervous before the race. I got used to the atmosphere during the preliminary trials and finally collected the title as I had wanted," said Yang.
Yang, 24, who had a personal best of 20.58 seconds, was the only Chinese male athlete to enter the second round of Olympics in men's 200m in Athens last year.
PLA's Wang Chengliang came in second with Deng Yijun from Hong Kong finishing third.
Elsewhere, rising star Zhou Haibin's goal got Shandong a 1-0 win over Shanghai and the men's soccer title.
Playmaker Zhou scored the winning goal in the 71st minute. The shot, just from outside the penalty box, hit a Shanghai defender's leg and flew into the right corner of the goal. Goalie Qiu Shengjiong swiftly dived to the right side but failed to stop the ball.
Both teams went all out in the match which was almost like a battlefield.
Fierce fighting between players led to a spate of cards being issued.
But thanks to some solid defending and Qiu's heroics, Sha-nghai managed to hold back several finely-angled shots.
Despite the rain and chilly weather, the final attracted far more viewers than any previous soccer match at the 10th National Games.
Shanghai fielded substitutes Mao Jianqing and Shen Longyuan in the second half to strengthen the offensive but the changes didn't bear fruits.
Shanghai coach Doko Kokovic said after the match that Shandong put up a spirited performance and deserved the win.
"Shandong has good players and played like a team. It deserved the victory," said Kokovic.
Shandong coach Yin Tiesheng said the patience and indomitable spirit of his players helped his team gain the upper hand.
"The rain had negative influence on our players but they played well all along and remained calm," said Yin.
In the third place playoff, Liaoning defeated Hubei 2-1.



 Xinhua news