Players of China pose for a team photo after the Preliminary Round match between China and the Netherlands at the 2021 FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Rimini, Italy, June 12, 2021. (Xinhua)
China's men's and women's volleyball teams for the Volleyball Nations League have been announced by FIVB.
BEIJING, May 12 (Xinhua) -- China's volleyball teams (both men and women) will compete in the upcoming Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2022 within a month as FIVB announced the squads on Wednesday.
Led by new head coach Cai Bin, the Chinese women's team includes 24 players with Yuan Xinyue as the captain. Key players such as Gong Xiangyu, Ding Xia, Diao Linyu and Li Yingying all made the list.
The new names include Wu Mengjie and Wang Yizhu, as well as Jin Ye, Wang Yunlu and Xu Jianan.
Star spikers Zhu Ting and Zhang Changning, who both played pivotal roles in China's success at the Rio Olympics in 2016 and World championship in 2019, will miss the tournament due to injury.
The women's VNL will begin on May 31, with the finals in Ankara, Turkey to be played from July 13 to 17.
The following is the Chinese women's squad:
Outside spikers: Jin Ye, Wang Yunlu, Wang Yizhu, Li Yingying, Wu Mengjie, Wang Yifan, Zhong Hui
Middle blockers: Yuan Xinyue, Yang Hanyu, Gao Yi, Wang Yuanyuan, Zheng Yixin, Wang Wenhan
Opposite hitters: Gong Xiangyu, Miao Yiwen, Chen Peiyan, Du Qingqing
Setters: Diao Linyu, Cai Yaqian, Ding Xia
Liberos: Wang Weiyi, Ni Feifan, Xu Jianan, Wang Mengjie
Bradley Robert Gunter (L) of Canada spikes the ball during a match against China at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League 2018 men's tournament in Jiangmen, south China's Guangdong Province, June 23, 2018. Canada won 3-0. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)
For men's team, which skipped the VNL 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is trying to go all out for Paris 2024 place. Star players such as Jiang Chuan, Yu Yaochen and Dai Qingyao are on the 25-man list.
"We will try our best in the VNL and the World Championships so that we can earn enough points to qualify for the Olympic Qualification tournaments," said Wu Sheng, who was appointed head coach of China's men's team in October 2020.
The men's VNL gets underway on June 7, with the finals in Bologna, Italy to be played from July 20 through 24.
The following is the Chinese men's squad:
Outside spikers: Dai Qingyao, Zhang Binglong, Yu Yuantai, Yuan Dangyi, Zhang Jingyin, Zhai Dejun
Middle blockers: Li Yongzhen, Jiang Zhengyang, Zhang Zhejia, Wang Dongchen, Peng Shikun, Dai Haibo, Miao Ruantong
Opposite hitters: Jiang Chuan, Wang Jingyi, Zhang Guanhua, Wu Pengzhi
Setters: Yu Yaochen, Liu Meng, Chen Leiyang, Wang Hebin
Liberos: Qu Zongshuai, Yang Yiming, Yang Tianyuan, Qi Jiahao
■
