Vol: China eye volleyball gold, but Russians capable of upset

AAP General News (Australia)
08-28-2004
Vol: China eye volleyball gold, but Russians capable of upset

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ATHENS, Aug 28 AFP - China go into tonight's women's Olympic volleyball final against
Russia as warm favourities, but a towering Russian duo and their wily, veteran coach will
ensure the match is no walk-over.

China finished top of pool B in the preliminary rounds, ahead of Russia, and their
well-drilled players have continued their strong form with solid victories over Japan
and Cuba in the quarter- and semi-finals.

The Chinese women came into the Games with the best recent record of any team in the
tournament, after winning the World Cup and World Grand Prix competitions last year.

Led by powerful 1.83m (6ft) attacker Yang Hao, who has led her team's scoring with
113 points for the tournament, China has charted a steady course in their bid to win the
nation's first gold in the sport for 20 years.

The Chinese won their only gold in women's volleyball when they returned to the Olympics
at the Los Angeles Games in 1984, and have since come close to claiming their second gold.

They won a bronze in Seoul, a silver in Atlanta and finished fifth in Sydney four years ago.

Reigning silver medallists Russia have also been an enduring force in women's volleyball
under the guidance of 66-year-old Nikolai Karpol, who is coaching a Russian or Soviet
team at an Olympics for the sixth time.

If Karpol is to feel any measure of joy on Saturday, his two best players, Ekaterina
Gamova and Lioubov Shashkova, will again have to shoulder the load for their team.

Gamova has been the star of the tournament. At 2.04 metres, she is also the tallest
player competing in the women's volleyball.

Gamova has led all scorers in Athens with 132 points up to the final, while 1.94m Shashkova
is second on the scoring table with 128 points.

AFP sp

KEYWORD: OLY VOL WOMEN

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