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Red-hot China show fans why they struck gold

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China gave Japan's fans a sample of their Olympic gold medal-winning form on the fourth day of the women's World Grand Prix final round yesterday.

But you had to be quick to see it. In a red blur, China demolished the previously unbeaten Brazil 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-19) in just 69 minutes to improve their win-loss record to 2-2 in the six-team tournament.

To put China's impressive display into perspective, a member of Brazil's technical staff was heard to mutter 'did anyone see the ball?' as he walked from the arena to the changing rooms.

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That's how well China played, against the defending World Grand Prix champions who had won their opening three matches here against the Netherlands, Cuba and Japan.

The Chinese were never threatened and had the game's top-scorer in Yang Hao.

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The 25-year-old power spiker from Liaoning scored 15 points, comprising 10 jack-hammer kills, three blocks and two service winners and she received solid support from Zhou Suhong and Zhang Ping, who scored 10 apiece.

The Brazilians were distinctly off-colour, not only because they wore white as opposed to their more familiar canary yellow, but because they failed to come close to China's motivation and energy.

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