By CGTN's Zhang Anji
The China Volleyball League's 2016-17 All-Star match will take place in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, on Sunday.
This is the first time the showcase has been held since the 1998-99 season.
The revived exhibition contest pits the league's leading players from the North against their counterparts from the South, with each squad consisting of 12 competitors.
Zhang Changning, a member of the Chinese women’s national team, is excited about the return of this event.
"There were no All-Star matches for a long time, so all I could do was fantasize. I hope everyone can enjoy themselves, and I also hope we can entertain the audience."
Wang Chenyue and Zhang Changning (R) play in the second round of 16/17 women's volleyball league semi-final, Tianjin, China, February 7, 2017. /CFP Photo
With more than 500,000 fans casting ballots online, national team captain Hui Ruoqi topped the popularity contest, and will lead the South, alongside Zhang.
The renewed interest in volleyball across China follows the national team's gold medal victory at last year's Rio Olympics.
From the left to the right, Ding Xia, Hui Ruoqi and Yuan Xinyue attend CVL’s fans press, Shenzhen, China, February 25, 2017. /CFP Photo
While the CVL All-Star match is scheduled for Sunday afternoon, a volleyball league forum is also taking center stage in Shenzhen this weekend, offering fans a variety of opportunities to interact with the players.
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