Ex-China volleyballer Wang Yunlu says missing Paris Olympics made her feel like a ‘failure’
Outside hitter breaks her silence on being dropped by head coach Cai Bin just before the 2024 Games, a decision that sparked public backlash
Former China national volleyball player Wang Yunlu tearfully confessed, in an in-depth video interview released on Wednesday, that her career felt like a “failure” after being dropped from the Paris Olympics roster at the last minute.
Wang spent more than two years as an indispensable starter during the Paris Olympic cycle, stepping up when stars Zhu Ting and Zhang Changning were sidelined with injury.
However, she was left off the final squad following the return of key veterans and roster constraints, the decision triggering fierce public backlash against head coach Cai Bin.
Speaking candidly about her omission in the interview hosted by Shen Qunqi, a presenter for Shanghai Radio and Television’s sports channel, Wang struggled to hold back tears. “Failing to make it to Paris, I still feel that I am a failure,” she said.