The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that Chinese volleyball legend and former head coach Lang Ping was awarded the IOC Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award, which IOC President Kirsty Coventry personally presented.
Established in 2017, the award recognized the crucial role coaches played in nurturing athletes, both on and off the field. Lang was a defining figure in Chinese women's volleyball. She enjoyed tremendous success as a player and, after retiring, continued to make her mark as a coach.
In her first stint leading the Chinese women's team, she helped lift them out of a slump to claim the silver medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Her international coaching career was as equally impressive, guiding the United States women's team to a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Returning to China in 2013, Lang led the national team to two World Cup titles and, in 2016, helped them secure Olympic gold in Rio de Janeiro, making Lang the first in volleyball history to win Olympic gold as both a player and a coach.
In 2002, Lang was inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame, becoming the first Asian to receive the honor. On the court, she was known as the unstoppable "Iron Hammer," and off it, she was a thoughtful and commanding coach. Her influence extended far beyond volleyball, and her story of determination and hard work continued to inspire athletes and fans around the world.
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