Just ‘proud to be Chinese’: gold-medal volleyball coach Lang Ping thanks Hongkongers for support during Rio Olympics
The national coach of women’s squad says different political views are ‘normal’ and encourages Hongkongers to take up sports
From national star to “traitor” and back to heroine status again, China’s volleyball coach extraordinaire Lang Ping, who led the US team to victory against her homeland at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, says she does not care about such labels as she is only being professional.
In an exclusive interview with the Post on Monday, Lang, fresh from leading her team to gold in Rio, said it was very normal for Hong Kong to have different political opinions.
The Chinese athletes’ visit came amid a backdrop of anti-mainland sentiments and the rise of localism in the city.
“I do not really pay attention to these things. I think for any country, this can happen,” she said. “When I was studying in the US, there are all these different [ways of] thinking which I think is okay and normal.”
Hongkongers had been very warm and supportive of China’s volleyball team, Lang added.
Lang, a legend in her sport, was the first person in volleyball to win the Olympic gold both as a player and coach.