News Beach volleyball 08/05/2014 Chinese beach volleyball pair Li Jian and Chen Cheng answer fan questions Lausanne,Switzerland, May 8, 2014 – Chinese beach volleyball fans were in for a treatthis year, as the first two FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour events were hostedin the country, in Fuzhou and Shanghai.Thefans witnessed their hometown stars excel on the sand, with a bronze medal by XueChen and Xia Xinyi, while having the opportunity to see more home teams on thesand than usual, as the host country.Toget to know the home stars, beach volleyball pair Li Jian and Chen Cheng satdown at Shanghai to answer fan questions, collectedfrom FIVB fans on Facebookand Chinese social media sites Sina Weibo and Tencent Weibo.Q1: You've been playing beachvolleyball as a team for a few years now. Can you tell me how your partnershiphas grown over the years?Cheng: It has been like 10 years since2012 when we took part in the global competition. We had fights before, butgradually we cooperate with each other much better, and we understand eachother only by eye contacting. Li: It is kind of fate to be apartner, everyone has it's ambitious time and also everyone is going to be old.No matter what, I will cherish this best time.Q2: Over the years, what has beenyour favorite moment, what stands out the most? What do you look forward to themost?Cheng: Since the end of 2008, We havelearned to make a concerted effort. And it's unforgettable experience. We are very united either on training ormatches. On the court, we understand each other much better. So I feel it'sthat was the most unforgettable year. Moreover, we won the champion of thenational games.Q3: Can you tell us what you did toprepare for the Shanghai tournament?Cheng: This time we are matched upagainst groups which are very strong, like Holland and the U.S. They are allthe top volleyball players. We learn to improve ourselves by playing againstthem. The main objective of us on this match is to exercise and to improveourselves. Q4: We had a chance to meet andinterview Xue Chen and Xia Xinye at theFuzhou Open earlier this week. Are you friends with them?Cheng: We're close and we like to havefun together. Since all of us are very easy-going, we would like to make somejokes with each other. And now, Xue Chen is the best Chinese female player. XiaXin Yi has nickname of "Toto", she is interesting, often tells usjokes. Q5: As Xue Chen and Xia Xinye are newpartners and you have lots of experience being partners, would you like toshare any advice?Cheng: Xia Xin Yi is quite young now,after partner with Xue Chen, Xia will grow fastly by learning all theexperience from her. I can say, if they could work together for another 3-4years, Rio Olympics is not dream at all.Li: Sincerely wish them could dogreat in the future, Xia Xin Yi is very young and she has lots of opportunity.We could never foresee what abundant performance she could achieve. Even now, we already know she has hugepotential.Q6: FIVB has grown many Weibofollowers over the last few months. Are you surprised at the rapid growth ofthe sport in China?Cheng: Not a lot of people love playingbeach volleyball unlike many westerners who play beach volleyball just becauseof they love it, which is something we should learn from.Q7: Do you have any special words forour younger fans who are starting to enjoy volleyball?-- Li: Beach volleyball is some kind ofactivity, which doesn't require high skills. Whenyou have leisure time, you could ask some of your friends or relatives to go tobeach together. Enjoy the fun time byplaying beach volleyball together. Maybe you will start loving it. Sport likeBeach volleyball will be developed after it prevails among people. Print this Page News {{item.LocalShortDate}} {{item.Title}} All the News