'I think we can return to the top. We are striving very hard to be the best team in the world' - coach Yoshikawa

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Published: 12:00am, 6 Aug 2001

Astute Japan head coach Masahiro Yoshikawa wore a grin the length of the net after his team wrapped up the Hong Kong leg of the FIVB Women's World Grand Prix by defeating Brazil 3-0 yesterday.

It was a grin that bore deep satisfaction after Yoshikawa had put his team through a two-month ordeal that included eight-hour daily workouts and strength and conditioning exercises that almost screamed physical abuse.

Yoshikawa wanted the fittest and best team in the world. He succeeded. Although not quite as notorious as Hirofumi Daimatsu whose draconian and cruel methods saw Japan win the gold medal at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Yoshikawa is seen as the gentler coach - and the new saviour in Japanese volleyball after his side swept to their third straight victory at the Hong Kong Coliseum.

'Nobody really stood out during the game. It was all team work,' said Yoshikawa after Japan blasted Brazil 25-21, 26-24, 25-17 to cap one of the greatest comebacks in women's volleyball. Japan failed to qualify for last year's Olympics in Sydney and are ranked outside the top 10, but now they are the best team in the world - not bad considering that the Japanese are the shortest among the four participating teams and that they started training in late May.

Yoshikawa said there were no secrets to their success. Just old fashioned hard work and a burning desire to be number one again. 'As you already know Japan were not the top team in the world before, but I think we can return to the top. We are striving very hard to be the best team in the world,' said Yoshikawa.

While Yoshikawa was congratulating his charges on their latest victory after earlier wins over three-time Olympic champions Cuba and perennial favourites China, Brazil head coach Marco Aurelio Motta reflected on his team's poor performance.

'We didn't play well today. We only played well as a team during the first half of the second set. Our blocking and defence were lacking,' said Motta of the Sydney Olympic bronze medallists.