Belgian Heynen named head coach of China men's volleyball team

BEIJING, April 25 (Xinhua) -- The China Volleyball Association announced on Thursday that Vital Heynen of Belgium has been named head coach of China's men's volleyball team.

According to the association's website, Heynen, born in 1969, was the captain and setter of the Belgian men's volleyball team. In his coaching career, he led Germany's men's team to fifth place at the London Olympics and the bronze medal at the 2014 World Championship.

During his spell in charge of the Polish men's team from 2018 to 2021, he led the team to a World Championship, the World Cup runner-up, and fifth place at the Tokyo Olympics.

The 31st-ranked Chinese men's team failed to secure an Olympic spot in the qualifier last year and didn't get a chance to compete in this year's Volleyball Nations League, meaning the team never had the chance to qualify for the Paris Olympics.

The team's training camp roster, released on Thursday, includes veteran Jiang Chuan, who has played the past couple of seasons in the Japanese league, and rising star Zhang Jingyin.