MVP Zhu Ting leads VakifBank Istanbul to volleyball Club World Championship as Chinese fans cheer on their superstar
- The 24-year-old helps club to back-to-back FIVB world titles while being named best player for second year running
- Team are congratulated on triumph over Brazilian side Minas Tenis Clube with telegram from Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan
China women’s volleyball captain Zhu Ting was named MVP at the Club World Championship in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, on Sunday,
Zhu’s Turkish side VakifBank Istanbul beat Brazilian side Minas Tenis Clube 3-0 in the final, and were sent congratulations by Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The final, held at the city’s Olympic Sports Centre, was played out to a packed crowd who cheered the nation’s volleyball superstar on to victory.
The win meant VakifBank retained their crown and Zhu again won MVP honours at the Club World Championship.
That is the 11th MVP title of her career, being named the best player on volleyball’s highest stages including China’s wins at the 2016 Olympics in Rio and at the 2015 World Cup.
She can add that to her countless other individual honours, including Best Outside Spiker at this tournament.
The China spiker signed for the Istanbul club in 2016, reportedly becoming the highest paid player in the sport at the time.
Last season she led her club to the Turkish league and cup and the CEV Champions League.
Zhu only turned 24 in November but has already won the top titles in the game for club and country, but she is expected to continue her on-court dominance.
Her best playing days surely remain ahead and the focus will be on China retaining their Olympic crown in Tokyo in 2020.
Gold in Zhejiang caps a fine end to the year for one of the biggest names in Chinese sport.
Zhu also led China to Asian Games gold in Indonesia in August and also finished with bronzes in the inaugural Nations League and the World Championship in Japan.
