China's beach volleyball is coming to join in the world's top level, International Federation de Volleyball (FIVB) president Dr. Ruben Acosta said on Tuesday.
"China now has two beach volleyball teams competing in medal matches at the Beijing Olympics. It showed that China is coming to the world's top level in beach volleyball," the 74-year-old Mexican told Xinhua after watching the women's semifinal between the two Chinese duos, Tian Jia/Wang Jie and Zhang Xi/Xue Chen.
With a team in the final, China has secured a beach volleyball silver medal, a historic leap for the country, whose best Olympics finish was ninth, achieve by Tian and her then partner Wang Fei at the Athens Games.
"The Chinese player's performance was sensational and was in top quality," Acosta added.
The president,who is to hand over the presidency to Chinese Wei Jizhong at the end of the Beijing Games, congratulated the success of the Chinese players at the Beijing Games.
He said China's success in beach volleyball at the Beijing Olympics will promote the development of the sport in China.
"At the moment beach volleyball is not so popular in China, but through the success it will come to become a major sport in China like other sports," said the president.
He suggested Chinese players to attend more international competitions and do more training abroad to further enhance their competing level.
And China should also hold more FIVB World Tour events to promote the popularity of the sport in China.
"The beach volleyball ground in the Chaoyang Park can be the Beijing Station of the FIVB World Tour, for example," he said.
(Xinhua News Agency August 19, 2008)