China above everything else: Zhu Ting glad to return to national side
- The world’s highest-paid volleyball player wants to help her country achieve glory at next year’s Olympics in Tokyo
- The 24-year-old spiker is in Macau for the latest round of the Nations League with Hong Kong next on the agenda
China volleyball star Zhu Ting has always put country above everything else as she looks forward to playing at next year’s 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The world’s highest-paid volleyball player recently give up earning millions playing in the Turkish league to recommit herself with the Chinese national team so she can get the reigning Olympic champions in their best shape for Tokyo.
“The Olympic Games is the most important competition there is for any player,” said Zhu, who is in Macau for the Nations League, where she will lead China against Thailand in the opening game on Tuesday. “After the Turkish league finished this month, I returned to China to prepare for the Olympics. Although we won the gold medal at the 2016 Rio Games, we still want to do well in Tokyo next year.”
Zhu, however, refused to say if she had sacrificed big money when she left Turkish champions VakıfBank to return to China. “Playing in the league in Turkey and playing for Team China in the Olympic Games are both important but are two separate things,” she said.
The 24-year-old is reported to have earned €1.5 million (US$1.68 million) in her last season with VakıfBank after making €€2.4 million during her first two years with the club she joined after steering China to gold at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.