While most of the Chinese are still celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year with family and friends, Jenny Lang Ping and her players have already started to prepare for the new season in their training camp here in Beijing.

After a minimized three-day holiday, the Chinese women's volleyball internationals returned from their respective hometown to report to the national team Saturday afternoon and the training resumed Sunday morning.

"We will have a busy calendar this year with a lot of tournaments to play between May and September, so the training over next two months is of great importance to us," Jenny told Xinhua. "We are going to make good use of the time and improve ourselves physically and technically."

Jenny guided a young but energetic Chinese team to a surprising runner-up finish at the women's World Championships last October, while the volleyball legend believed her side still had a lot to improve to be a medal contender at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

"Our young players have great potential, but we have a lot of work to do," she said.

The women's World Cup, slated for Japan this fall and with two precious tickets to the Rio Games on offer, will be the top priority of Jenny's side and all other top teams from the world.

"We will have the Asian Championships, the World Grand Prix events and some international invitationals to play, but the World Cup will be the most important for us this year," she said. "I would like to give our young players opportunities to play in the lead-up to the World Cup and then take the best of them to Japan." Endi

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