Cai Bin to take helm of Chinese women's national volleyball team

Cai Bin has been appointed as the new head coach of the Chinese women's national volleyball team to succeed Lang Ping, China's sports authority announced on Thursday.

Lang took charge of the team back in 2013, and led her side to the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2015 and 2019 World Cup titles.

Since Lang stepped down as head coach on September 1, 2021, the team hasn't nominated her successor.

Cai had coached the youth national team for 10 years before stepping into the senior squad in 2009. After a short term, Cai continued his career in the clubs and sharpened Jiangsu as a powerhouse in the Chinese Women's Volleyball Super League.

"Thank everyone for their support; it's my honor which propels me to spare no efforts to do my job," Cai told Xinhua.

"I will work on the roster immediately and the priority is to cultivate the fighting spirit," he added.

At last summer's Tokyo Olympics, China failed to defend its crown after unexpectedly failing to progress through the group stage. ■