The 2024 Paris Olympics commenced with a grand opening ceremony on the Seine River in Paris at 1:30 AM Beijing time on July 27. Among the 405 Chinese athletes who made a stunning entrance, the Chinese women's 3x3 basketball team garnered significant attention. The team includes Wang Lili, Zhang Zhiting, Wan Jiyuan, and Chen Mingling, with Wang Lili, a sports teacher at Tianjin University, leading as the captain.
Wang Lili recently joined the sports department at Tianjin University. The university has introduced outstanding athletes as physical education teachers to inspire students to develop a self-driven approach to exercise, discover the beauty of sports, build physical fitness, and cultivate resilience. Beyond her impressive on-court achievements and contributions to national glory, Wang Lili is set to share her extensive basketball knowledge and game experience in the classroom, motivating students to embrace an active lifestyle.
3x3 basketball, a relatively new addition to the Olympic roster, has captured global interest. The Chinese women's 3x3 basketball team clinched a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, and the Paris lineup features returning players Wang Lili, Zhang Zhiting, and Wan Jiyuan. After recovering from a significant anterior cruciate ligament injury, Wang Lili's current condition bodes well for the team's performance in Paris.
The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) highlighted in an article that the return of superstar Wang Lili could ignite the Chinese team at the Paris Olympics. The article emphasized that with Wang's return, the Chinese team boasts a powerful combination of players, perfectly blending experience, including prior Olympic participation, making them strong contenders for top honors this time around.
Wang Lili's Achievements:
2023 FIBA 3x3 World Series MVP (First Chinese athlete to receive this honor)
2023 and 2022 WCBA All-Star Game MVP
2022 FIBA 3x3 World Cup Women’s Bronze Medal, Best Team Selection
2022 FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup Women’s Gold Medal, MVP, Best Team Selection
2021 National Games 3x3 Women’s Basketball Gold Medal
2020-2021 China Women’s Basketball League Runner-Up
2020 Tokyo Olympics 3x3 Women’s Basketball Bronze Medal
2019 Military World Games 5x5 Women’s Basketball Gold Medal
2018 Jakarta Asian Games 5x5 Women’s Basketball Gold Medal
2015-2016 China Women’s Basketball League Runner-Up
2014 CUBA National College Basketball League Champion, MVP
2014 CUBS National College Super League Champion, MVP
2012 National University Games 5x5 Women’s Basketball Champion
As the Paris Olympics progress, all eyes will be on Wang Lili and her team, who are poised to deliver remarkable performances and strive for greater achievements on the international stage.
By: Qin Mian
