Asian Games 2018: China’s injured Zhang Changning told to leave women’s volleyball squad on eve of departure to Jakarta
The 23-year-old returns to Nanjing by high-speed train and told to prepare for September’s world championship after sustaining a knee injury for Jakarta
One minute, China women’s volleyball ace Zhang Changning was happily posing for pictures with her teammates as she prepared to leave Beijing for the Asian Games in Jakarta. Within hours, Zhang was on a high-speed train back to Nanjing, having to pull out of the squad because of a knee injury.
The 23-year-old Zhang, who helped China to Olympic gold in Rio two years ago, injured her knee during training on August 4 while they squad were training in Ningbo after a collision with star player Zhu Ting.
After receiving medical treatment, Zhang felt she was improving and was given the all-clear to play in the Asian Games, which starts official on Saturday. But on Thursday, she received notice to return to the Jiangsu women’s team and prepare herself for the world championship from September 29 to October 20 in Japan.
“I have not felt any pain and I started to do some moderate exercises,” Zhang was quoted as saying by the mainland media before she was told to leave the squad.
The 1.95-metre Zhang is an aggressive attacking player and is known for her fierce smashes, which she delivers with force from an incredible height as she dominates the net.