On the stage of the Paris Olympics, Wu Mengjie stood in front of everyone with her outstanding performance and firm attitude, which amazed countless spectators and commentators. However, it didn't happen overnight, but rather a carefully woven story, full of hard work, perseverance, and strategic choices.
Wu Mengjie has long had a resounding reputation in the domestic volleyball world, but her figure has always disappeared from the list of the national team. Li Yingying and others, who are the same age as her, have long been the backbone of the national team, but Wu Mengjie was ignored in the training plan three years ago. If the coaching staff had been able to discern and choose to train Wu Mengjie instead of Wang Yunrui, perhaps the Chinese women's volleyball team would be stronger today, and even winning the championship in the Olympics is not a dream.
With her own efforts, Wu Mengjie finally succeeded in entering the 12-man list of the national team. Although in the last three years she has barely been seen in official competitions, as her place has been occupied by players who have not performed well. However, Wu Mengjie, with her tenacious fighting spirit, finally counterattacked. She excelled in the front row and continued to improve in the back row. It would be a perfect combination for her to partner with No. 9, one in the front row and one in the back.
Wu Mengjie has excellent physical conditions: height, strength and speed. Through hard training, she has now become the best opposite to Li Yingying. She is well aware of her gaps, strives to improve her weaknesses, and contributes to the team. In youth training, the basic skills should be solidified, and the adult national team should pay more attention to tactical literacy and competition ability. Only by combining work and rest and protecting the body can we better win glory for the country.
In my opinion, Wu Mengjie and Wang Yizhu are basically on the same level. However, the coaching staff chose Wu Mengjie, perhaps precisely because of her attitude and spirit. She was already a regular in the second team, serving as the core of the attack and defense in six rounds and one pass, and played a key role in the crucial battle for Olympic qualification. Her height advantage and excellent passing ability leave her competitors in the dust.
Cai Bin's secret weapon did not come without warning. Wu Mengjie has gradually emerged in the World Women's Volleyball League, and her style of play has become well-known. Zhang Changning, on the other hand, is a battle-hardened and stunning female ranking player in the volleyball world, and her playing style has also been thoroughly studied by her opponents. At the Paris Olympics, how these two giants play well depends on how Cai Bin uses their on-the-spot tactics.
Wu Mengjie has won six rounds in international competitions, and although she has been inconsistent at times, her overall performance is not up to par. In contrast, Wang Yizhu only received three rounds in the Tianjin team, with a small area and easy to be chased. In domestic competitions, Wu Mengjie's successive pass data is quite eye-catching, and the gap is obvious. Despite the fact that VNL tried to play a pick in '22, there weren't many opportunities in the national team. In '23, Wang Yizhu performed well in the league and the Club World Cup, showing great potential for growth, but she was given too few opportunities to make mistakes.