Zhao Ruirui, best spiker on China's Volleyball World Cup championship team, is "hopeful" about playing in the Athens Olympics, said Chen Zhonghe, head coach of the national women's squad.

　　Zhao is still nursing a foot injury suffered during training in Zhangzhou, Fujian Province last month, which led to speculation she might not make it to Athens.

　　"She currently is still in a quick recovery process. She will come back for training in two months or so and will certainly show up in Athens. We are confident to see her at best by then." said Chen.

　　In a bid to regain the Olympic gold medal they won in 1984, China's women's team is undergoing intensive training aimed at mental and physical preparation.The three-sessions-a-day training programme will help improve players' ability in offence-to-defense switch and build up stronger stamina.

　　Chen downplayed concerns about the possibility of Zhao's absence.

　　"Although there have been changes of the spikers' position, the lineup of the squad will basically keep stable. Chen Jing and Zhang Ping, who are in place of Zhao's position, are going to perform as starting players in the warm-up competition. We will overcome the difficulties." Chen added.