The Chinese women's rugby sevens team are currently preparing for the Paris Olympics in Nanjing under the watchful eyes of coach Lu Zhuan.

After suffering a heartbreaking loss to Japan in last year's Asian qualifiers, China missed a chance to advance directly to the French capital. Lu was then appointed as the side's new coach, and despite immense pressure, his tireless efforts helped spark a remarkable turnaround.

Over the ensuing eight months, the squad claimed victories at World Rugby Sevens Challenger series events in the UAE's Dubai, Uruguay's Montevideo, and Poland's Krakow. And last month, China extended their winning streak by going undefeated in the World Rugby Sevens Repechage in Monaco to clinch the final spot in this year's Olympics.

The PRC will now look to build on their debut appearance in the sport three years ago at the pandemic delayed Tokyo Games, when they advanced to the quarterfinals and finished seventh.

And thanks to their recent unbeaten run, Lu is optimistic that the team can do even better in Paris.

"As I always say, I'm incredibly excited, and at the moment we clinched Olympic qualification, my heart was racing, because the joy was immense. In Paris, regardless of the opponent, we must focus on our game and showcase our style," said Lu.