(BEIJING, August 23) -- The Chinese Women's Volleyball team, Athens 2004 champion, reached the Olympic podium again, beating Cuba 25-16, 21-25, 25-13, 25-20 to win bronze in Beijing.

　　China's defense of gold ended in the semifinals in a loss to Brazil, but the team showed championship mettle in the first Volleyball medal match in Beijing, ending Cuba's Olympic Women's Volleyball medal streak at four. Cuba won gold in Sydney, Atlanta and Barcelona and bronze in Athens.

　　Cuba opened the first set firmly and advanced to 6-2 before China managed to catch up and Wang Yimei speared two consecutive kills on the left-side to tie the score 6-6. Zhou Suhong's right-side hitting caused more Cuba trouble. China's frontline hitters were on-target but in contrast Cuba struggled to control the first ball. Yanelis Santos committed a lifting violation that ended the set 25-16.

　　Cuba took an early lead in the second set before Zhao Ruirui's back-slide tied the score 12-12. Cuba missed on their reception and serve before Yumilka Ruiz took charge and gave them a comfortable 22-19 lead. Ruiz scored on two more attacks that clinched the set for Cuba 25-21.

　　Ruiz continued to play a patient offense. She was denied twice on the block but managed to score on her last attempt. China's block grew stronger and they silenced Ruiz and the other Cuban hitters and, because the Cubans could not keep up with the Chinese counter-attack, the third set ended 25-13.

　　In the fourth set, Feng Kun single-blocked Ruiz's left-side attack to go into the first technical time-out. Led by Rosir Calderon, Cuba tried to catch up on attack and were able to cut the lead to one point, but errors haunted them; China took the lead and Zhao's quick hit on the middle sealed the victory 25-20.

　　Brazil and the United States play for gold at 8:00 p.m. (UTC/GMT +8).