Keep a low profile, just like the person. Recently, Lai Yawen became the director of the volleyball management center of the State General Administration of Sport. This news was only announced in another way when she went to the training bases in Zhangzhou, Fujian and Beilun, Ningbo to visit the national men’s and women’s volleyball teams that were preparing for training.
There are Asian Games and Olympic qualifiers in Hangzhou this year. China women’s volleyball coach Cai Bin said in an interview that "the Asian Games must win the championship, and the Olympic qualifiers will qualify for the first time." This will also be a quiz that Lai Yawen will face after taking office.
Looking forward to the Paris Olympic cycle of China women’s volleyball team, Lai Yawen still stressed that women’s volleyball team should further inherit and carry forward the spirit of women’s volleyball in the new era, carry the flag of China women’s volleyball team, and strive to improve their physical fitness and technical and tactical application ability with the goal of reaching the highest podium in Paris Olympic Games.
Lai Yawen, 52, is an "old acquaintance" of volleyball fans. Her appointment as the new head of China volleyball has also made many fans feel: "Let professional people do professional things."
Lai Yawen was the captain of China women’s volleyball team. During his 10 years in the national team, she experienced the struggle of China women’s volleyball team climbing from the bottom. Since 1999, Lai Yawen has served as the assistant coach of China women’s volleyball team, from Hu Jin to Chen Zhonghe, Cai Bin, Yu Juemin, and then to Lang Ping, assisting five head coaches. She also witnessed the whole process of China women’s volleyball team from the trough to the glory.
Lai Yawen’s personality is calm and restrained, and his style of play is unpretentious. From Liaoning, she is 1.87 meters tall. She once served as a deputy attacker, with relatively balanced attack and interception and comprehensive skills. In 1989, Lai Yawen entered the China Women’s Volleyball Team, and was highly valued by three coaches, namely Hu Jin, Li Xiaofeng and Lang Ping. She won the third place in the 1989 World Cup, the 1990 World Championships, the 1991 World Cup, the 1995 World Cup, the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and the 1998 World Championships. The World Championships in 1998 was her farewell battle. She dragged her weak body through the final due to illness, and finally missed the championship and cried, which moved the fans. Although she only lacks a gold medal in the three competitions, it does not prevent her from achieving a legend in her sports career.
Among the teammates in the same period, Lai Yawen was the only one who didn’t leave the China women’s volleyball team after retiring. In 1999, after Hu Jin succeeded Lang Ping and Er Jin Gong as the head coach of China women’s volleyball team, he invited 29-year-old Lai Yawen to be the assistant coach. From captain to teaching assistant, Lai Yawen quickly adapted to complete the transformation. "Lai Dao" is still the former "intimate big sister" in the players’ minds, and she has also become a bridge between the players and the head coach.
China women’s volleyball team changed coaches for two or three years during the London Olympic Games. Lai Yawen wanted to leave the national team after the London Olympics. In 2013, Lang Ping coached the China Women’s Volleyball Team for the second time, and Lai Yawen was invited to join the coaching team again. Lang Ping and Lai Yawen have a tacit cooperation. In 2017, although Lai Yawen was promoted to the position of Deputy Director of Paiguan Center, it was still difficult to leave the team, and she volunteered to be the team leader of China Women’s Volleyball Team. China women’s volleyball team rose again, winning the championship four times in 2015 World Cup, 2016 Rio Olympic Games, 2017 Grand Champions Cup and 2019 World Cup.
Entering the Paris Olympic cycle, Cai Bin once again took charge of the China Women’s Volleyball Team, and Lai Yawen continued to be the team leader in the 2022 World Championships. Over the past 33 years, Lai Yawen has devoted most of her life to the China Women’s Volleyball Team. Experience and connections are Lai Yawen’s advantages, but the head of the company bears a heavy burden. How to keep China’s women’s volleyball team in the advanced ranks in the world, strive to narrow the gap between China’s men’s volleyball team and the world’s top teams, make a good domestic volleyball super league with heart, and insist on the combination of inviting in and going out to connect with the world volleyball, etc., Lai Yawen is facing a series of challenges.
Fortunately, volleyball in China has a new trend. Since this year, men’s and women’s volleyball teams have had national players studying abroad. So far, more than 20 players have fought in overseas leagues. Not only can the players go out in the year of playing, but even some of them are matched by the platoon management center. For example, Zhang Jingyin, the number one main attacker of the men’s volleyball team, landed in the Polish Super League and was accompanied by the Chinese team. China volleyball can be expected in the future by opening the rising channel of players in multiple channels and in all directions.
Editor-in-Chief: Chen Hua
Author: Qin Dongying
Source: Xinhua News Agency