2001 World Grand Champions Cup

Tournament Wrap - Men and Women

The triumphant Chinese team after defeating Korea 

that secured the tournament win

Fukuoka, Japan, 17 November, 2001 - China finished a dream run Saturday to claim its first major world volleyball title in 15 years by defeating Korea in three easy sets 25:13, 25:15, 25:12. 

With still one day of competition left, China, with a perfect record of four wins and on 8 points, cannot be caught by the other five teams in the single round robin competition. 

Regardless of results on Sunday, they will collect the winner's cheque of US 300,000 dollars. 

Russia, Brazil and Japan are each on 6 points going into the final day of the Grand Champions Cup in Fukuoka, Japan. Russia defeated Japan 3-0 and Brazil just edged-out USA in a five set marathon in earlier matches. Both USA and Korea are on 5 points. 

China has long been one of the best women's volleyball countries in the world, but not since China, lead by the great Lang Ping, won two world championship titles (1982 and 1986), the Olympic gold medal in Los Angeles 1984, and two World Cup titles (1981 and 1985) has the Asian champion enjoyed the top position on the podium at one of volleyball's top tournaments. 

They came close at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games, leading eventual gold medallists Cuba 2-1 and looked capable of ending the Cuban's run, only to have the indomitable Mireya Luis spoil the party in the final two sets. Luis and Regla Torres were again responsible for making China settle for the second-run at the 1998 world championship. 

Sydney 2000 was a major disappointment for the Chinese. The team had lost many of its stars like the powerful outside hitter Sun Yue, and finished fifth. But the finish forced changes back home. 

Firstly, Chen Zhonghe was appointed head coach in April. 

And if patience is a quality the Chinese team needs to learn, they could not find a better example than Chen, who, before his appointment to the top job, was trainer and assistant coach for 22 years, joining the team at a 22-year-old in 1979. 

But what he has done to this team in just six months in nothing short of miraculous. He started by cleaning out the old squad and starting afresh. Comparatively, the Russian squad at this event features no fewer than 186 world championship and Olympic Games match appearances under its belt. Chen's young team has zero. And yet they demolished the Olympic silver medallists 3-1 on Day 1. 

At the World Grand Prix in August, fielding a team which was formed only four months prior, and averaged only 22-years of age, they convincingly defeated Olympic champion Cuba twice (3-1 and 3-0), Olympic bronze medallist Brazil twice (3-1 and 3-2), as well as Olympic silver medallist Russia, before going down to the USA in the final. 

"China is the strongest contender of this tournament. Their strength is consistent individually as well as a team," Brazilian coach Marco Motta said of the young Chinese. 

Korean head coach Kim Cheol-young said: "The Chinese team was excellent in every aspect. They are the best team at this event" 

Coach Chen is singularly focused, as was evidenced by each of his players: "Our goal is gold in Athens 2004," said captain Feng Kun 

"World Championship next year is important, but it is just a part of the three year plan," said Chen. 

"We did not come to this event to win, we came to gain experience. Our goal is 2004," Chen again reiterated. "This is why our team was able to stay relaxed."

End

DAY 4

DAY 4

Japan Loses Second Straight Match

Host nation Japan disappointed thousands of local fans as it received its second straight defeat in the first match of Day 4 against Russia, losing 25-17, 25-23, 25-13.

Russia, the tallest team with an averaging height of 1.89 meters, stamped a complete domination over the net at Japan, who averages just 1.76 meters with the lowest player of the tournament, 1.59-meter setter Yoshie Takeshita, in the squad.

But it was Takeshita who piloted the Japanese to an earlier lead in the first set as the tiny gnome delivered a series of spectacular saves to put Japan ahead at 8-4.

Russia swayed a bit midway in the second set and was not able to grab back the lead until towards the end of the set.

The never-say-die Japanese were not intimated by their giant opponents and made incredible diving saves out of impossibility, which set the audiences into exclamation.
After 9-9 in the third set, Japan seemed being exhausted by consecutive attempts in vain on Russia's powerful strikes, losing nine points in a stroke to call off its bravery. End

Silva Struck Winners for Brazil

Raquel Silva struck to win the final two points to help Brazil outlast the United States after five sets, 25-17, 21-25, 20-25, 25-22, 20-18, in a nip and tuck match-up. After the U.S. sending two serves wide, Silva put Brazil ahead at 19-18 with a unstoppable strike and won the match point at the same position, when the Americans tried in vain to get a save. 

Brazil had the first hand over the victory when the two teams tying on every point after 12-12 in the breath-taking fifth set, leading at 15-14 and 16-15 but failed to have the final points to claim the match. Heather Bown and Sarah Noriega corrupted on the crucial moment when Danielle Scott stole back the lead twice after 16 and 17 to all, as Brown's jump service went long and Noriega's wide. 

The U.S., who demolished Olympic champion Cuba to qualify for the competition, let the game loose easily without much challenge and was down by 25-17 in the first set. But the NORCECA champion made a brilliant comeback after then to have the upper hand in the following two sets. Silva gave Brazil the most it wanted at the proper time, keeping Brazil into the game by leveling it to 2-2 with a hard-fought 25-22 win in the fourth set. End