Volleyball Australia is thrilled to announce Chinese Olympic gold medallist, Jiang Ying, will be joining the VA Board in a major coup for the sport.

Ying was a member of the Chinese women’s team that won gold at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, and then won bronze four years later in Seoul.

She was also a member of the 1982 and 1986 Chinese World Championship teams, and the team which won the 1985 World Cup.

Ying has been living in Adelaide in recent years, and Volleyball Australia President Craig Carracher said it was a major boost for volleyball to have someone with Ying’s experience and knowledge to help guide the sport into the future.

“The appointment of Ying, a devout supporter of the potential of Australia on the global stage of world volleyball, affirms the importance placed on volleyball’s commitment to diversity and excellence,” Carracher said.

“Another gold medal winning athlete, in addition to Kerri Pottharst, and one from the dominant nation of China, represents all that Australian volleyball aspires to be in the lives of young Australians.

“Volleyball represents diversity, represents gender equality and equity, represents the potential of non-contact global sports committed to the Olympic ideals to succeed in Australia.”

Carracher said Ying’s success as a player, coupled with the re-emergence of China at the Rio Olympics, will give Volleyball Australia valuable insights into what it takes to be the best.

“China’s gold-medal winning performance in the women’s indoor competition in Rio captivated audiences around the world, and has inspired a generation of young women to give this exciting sport a go,” Carracher said.

“Ying will provide us insights into what it takes to reach the top, and how we should look to capitalise on this exciting stage in the growth of the sport in Australia.

“We have just opened the women’s Centre of Excellence at the AIS in Canberra, which is such an exciting development for our sport. The appointment of Jiang Ying will complement this program.”