Xue Chen (R) of China spikes during the women's beach volleyball preliminary match against Shin Jie-un/Kim Se-yeon of South Korea at the 19th Asian Games in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 22, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao)
Xue Chen and Xia Xinyi en route to China's sixth consecutive beach volleyball gold at the Asian Games after four straight wins.
NINGBO, China, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- After clinching their fourth straight victory in the preliminaries to advance to the women's beach volleyball knockout phase, Xue Chen and Xia Xinyi expressed their hope to win China's sixth consecutive gold at the Asian Games.
Xue and Xia outclassed their South Korean opponents Shin Jie-un and Kim Se-yeon 21-8, 21-5 here on Friday.
"We hope to reach the knockout stage as soon as possible," Xue told Xinhua after the win. "The games we have played so far were relatively simple, but it is not a particularly good thing for us."
Xue won Asian Games gold medals at Doha 2006 and Guangzhou 2010, along with an Olympic bronze, a World Championships gold and six Asian Championships titles.
"I think there is no secret for my achievements, just working hard," Xue said.
Xia Xinyi (L) competes during the match. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao)
The most recent podium finish for Xue and Xia was at the Beach Pro Tour in Itapema, Brazil, where they claimed the title.
"This is our third Asian Games, and we had different partners before. As a pair, we are focused on winning a gold medal," said Xue. "As for our goal for China, we want to win the sixth straight gold medal."
China's women's beach volleyball team has won in each edition of the Asian Games since Busan, South Korea in 2002.
The women's beach volleyball gold medal of the Hangzhou Asiad will be awarded on September 27. ■
