Women's Volleyball

[Anchor Lead]

One of the most anticipated events for the Korean Olympic team is women's volleyball. The Korean national women's volleyball team is gearing up to win a medal for the first time in 40 years.

[Pkg]

Ever since they won a berth in the finals at Rio at the world qualifiers in May... the Korean women's volleyball team has had eyes only for a medal at the Olympic Games for the first time in 40 years.

[Soundbite] Yang Hyo-jin(Korean Women's Nat.l Volleyball Team) : "We disappointingly finished fourth and couldn't win a medal four years ago. But we're going to remember that desperation and work hard."

Belonging to Group A with Russia and host country Brazil, Korea's opponent in the first round is Japan.The Korean squad lost out to Japan and failed to win a medal in the match for bronze at the last Olympic Games in London. So the Korean women volleyball players are determined to get even with the Japanese team in the first match and start their Olympic experience on the right note. The Korean team then plans to advance to the quarter finals by defeating Argentina and Cameroon.

[Soundbite] Lee Jung-chul(Head Coach) : "We have the psychological strength to defeat Japan before the game begins. The coach said the team members are focused only on training and competition, without being overly concerned about the spread of the Zika virus which causes microcephaly in newborns."

[Soundbite] Kim Yeon-koung(Korean Women's Nat.l Volleyball Team) : "I don't intend to get pregnant. I don't know about my two married teammates."

The women's volleyball national team is getting into shape by participating in intense training and playing practice games with a boy's high school team. They will travel to the Netherlands on the 23rd for two rounds of warmup matches before arriving at Rio de Janeiro for the Olympics.