FIVB World Grand Prix
- July 7-23, 2017
- Kunshan, Chi
- Group 1 Schedule/Results
Reigning Olympic Gold medalists China have a leg up on the competition as the hosts of the Final Six in Nanjing. The Chinese side also has the Olympic title, 2015 FIVB World Cup title and 2014 World Championship silver medal driving their momentum toward the tournament.
The team is looking to return to form at the World Grand Prix after finishing fifth in 2014 and 2016 and taking the silver in 2013. The Chinese won the World Grand Prix gold in 2003, but has only made three podium appearances at the tournament since, taking bronze in 2005 and silver in 2007 and 2013.
Zhu Ting, one of eight members of the 2016 Olympic team on the squad, will be wearing the captain’s patch. She takes over that role from outside hitter Ruoqi Hui, who is not on the Grand Prix roster.
Ting, who was the 2016 Olympic MVP, left the Chinese league to play for VakifBank Istanbul in the Turkish league in 2017. The move brought the outside hitter FIVB Women’s Club World Championship and CEV Champions League titles and MVP honors at Club Worlds.
Former Olympians joining Ting on the 2017 roster are: middle blocker Yuan Xinyue, opposite Gong Xiangyu, outside Zhang Changning, outside Liu Xiatong, middle blocker Xu Yunli, libero Lin Li and setter Ding Xia.
In addition to Hui, three other Olympians have been left off the Grand Prix squad.
That leaves room for 13 new players.
The Chinese kick off their Grand Prix run with a July 7 match against Italy in Kunshan, China.
That’s a very strong nucleus of a team. Look for Zhang Changning as the next upcoming star. Her and Zhu Ting make for an amazing part of Outside hitters.