In front of over 10,000 fans in Hong Kong, China achieved a stunning comeback in the Volleyball Nations League, defeating Türkiye in a thrilling five-set match (21-25, 17-25, 25-21, 25-23, 15-13). This victory secured their spot in the final tournament.
Eleven months after losing to Turkey in the VNL gold medal match, China managed to dethrone them from the top spot in the FIVB World Rankings. This defeat cost Turkey 8.24 ranking points, allowing Brazil to move to the top position. Türkiye will have a chance to reclaim the top spot in their upcoming match against Brazil.
China’s victory in Hong Kong not only served as revenge but also confirmed their presence in the 2024 VNL Finals. The Chinese team, boosted by Li Yingying’s 25 points and solid performances from Wang Yuanyuan and Yuan Xinyue, won all three matches they played in Hong Kong and secured their place in the Paris Olympics.
Despite the loss, Turkey, led by Melissa Vargas with 31 points, remains qualified for both the VNL Finals and the Olympics. The final day will see the USA and Canada competing for the last spot in the Finals.
In other news, Serbia suffered another defeat, losing to Japan 0-3 in Fukuoka. Serbia, playing with a significantly younger team, has already secured their place in the Paris Olympics. With this win, Japan officially secured a spot in the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Pool 5 (Hong Kong, China) June 11-16
Saturday, June 15
- Dominican Republic vs. Bulgaria 2-3 (26-24, 23-25, 22-25, 26-24, 13-15)
- Poland vs. Thailand 3-0 (25-15, 25-23, 25-17)
- China vs Türkiye 3-2 (21-25, 17-25, 25-21, 25-23, 15-13)
Pool 6 (Fukuoka, Japan) June 11-16
Saturday, June 15
- Canada vs. France 3-0 (25-14, 25-18, 31-29)
- Italy vs. USA 3-1 (25-17, 19-25, 25-15, 25-21)
- Japan vs. Serbia 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-15)