The Volleyball Nations League Hong Kong 2025 is set to begin this Wednesday (June 18) at Kai Tak Sports Park, featuring six of the world's top teams, including the Chinese national women's volleyball team and reigning Paris Olympic champions Italy.
The tournament marks a shift in venue, moving from the Hung Hom Coliseum to the Kai Tak Sports Park for the first time. The Chinese team, fresh from their matches in the Beijing leg, arrived in Hong Kong yesterday (June 15) and wasted no time in preparing for the upcoming battles. They first visited the arena to participate in the "Jockey Club Volleyball Community Programme – In Touch with the China Volleyball National Team" and an autograph session, inviting local students and residents to watch their training and interact with the players.
The event drew a full house, with over 3,000 spectators—including students, underprivileged families, and visually impaired individuals—filling both sides of the stands. Young Hong Kong volleyball players and selected students were even invited to join the national team for skill-exchange drills.
This Chinese squad represents a new era in the "post-Zhu Ting" period, with former Liaoning women's volleyball coach Zhao Yong taking the helm in April and introducing a wave of fresh talent. Among the 19 players, only four—Gong Xiangyu, Wang Yuanyuan, Wang Mengjie, and Li Yingying—are holdovers from the previous world championship-winning team, while several under-20 players from the junior national teams have earned their first senior call-ups.
Gong Xiangyu: 'I love fish balls!'
Amid applause from fans, the Chinese team took to the court, greeting the crowd in Cantonese with a cheerful "Hello, everyone!" Captain Gong Xiangyu said, "I love fish balls!" while teammate Li Yingying said she was craving beef chow fun and missed the passion of Hong Kong fans. Stars like Wang Yuanyuan demonstrated powerful spikes, and Gong took time to coach young players on the sidelines. The highlight came when local players got to compete in 3v3 and 6v6 matches against the national team.
Hong Kong youth team members Kong Cho-yee and Chan Chi-yuet both expressed excitement on the spot. Kong was thrilled to see Li Yingying, who had missed the previous leg due to injury, back in action.
"I'm so happy she's playing in Hong Kong this time, and it's great to see new players like Wang Aoqian and Yang Shuming too."
She added that the national team's passion for volleyball was particularly inspiring. "They play with such fire and unity—I'll keep supporting them!"
Chan, playing at Kai Tak Sports Park for the first time, praised the venue's atmosphere. "Those seats are close to the court, and the lighting and environment are fantastic."
From casual spectators to die-hard fans
After the training session, the team held an autograph meet-and-greet, attracting hundreds of fans. Among them was Becky, a Form 4 student and school volleyball player, who came with her teammate Karen. Initially, they hadn't planned to chase autographs—Becky admitted, "I play volleyball myself, so I just wanted to see how amazing our national team is."
But after watching them in person for the first time, she was instantly converted into a fan.
"They're incredible—whether it's the setters, middle blockers, or outside hitters, everyone is so skilled and friendly." As a middle blocker herself, Becky hoped to learn from the pros to improve her own game. Karen, too, found herself admiring the team, and both joked that if they could still get tickets, they'd definitely come back to watch the matches.
(Source: Wen Wei Po; Journalist: Ye Shimin; English Editor: Darius)
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