China's beach volleyball pair, Xue Chen and Xia Xinyi, have made a remarkable comeback ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. The duo clinched the Saquarema Challenge in Saquarema, Brazil, on March 31, just three weeks after an early exit at the Doha Elite 16 in Qatar.
The setback in Doha had a lingering impact on both athletes. \"We had some ups and downs at the beginning of this year,\" Xia told the China Media Group (CMG). \"We failed to advance from the group stage at the first Elite competition. We were very upset at that time.\"
Xue echoed these sentiments, saying, \"We were just wondering why European players were in such a great form? Unlike them, we were still trying to build our form, so the loss made us feel that something wasn't right.\"
The victory in Saquarema served as a significant confidence booster. Xue and Xia dedicated two weeks following their Doha disappointment to studying and refining every aspect of their game. \"Our lesson from the loss in Doha was that we were not under enough pressure to win,\" Xue explained. \"We went back to Rio after Doha and had one to two weeks to train. So we forced ourselves to go for the best with every play. We kept telling ourselves to do this like real matches. Then we won the title in Saquarema.\"
Both athletes have shown exceptional talent from a young age. Xue made history in May 2006 by becoming the youngest player to win a FIVB World Tour event in Shanghai at 17. Seven years later, Xia broke Xue's record by securing the title in Phuket, Thailand, at just 16.
After missing out on the 2016 Rio Olympics and a disappointing performance at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, Xue and Xia have reunited with the ambition to make a significant impact in Paris. \"It's our goal to stand on the podium in Paris,\" Xue told CMG. \"But I don't want to rush it.\"
Xia added, \"We want to play every match well, and do it better and better every day.\" With their renewed focus and determination, Xue Chen and Xia Xinyi are poised to inspire and excel on the global stage once again.
Reference(s):
Xue Chen, Xia Xinyi bounce back ahead of 2024 Summer Olympics
cgtn.com
