That part about athletes needing to live life too is very true especially women. They are already at a disadvantage especially in volleyball since pregnancy can be viewed as a hindrance in their athletic career. Thats why most of them have family/children later on in their lives. And I have read that she almost lost her athletic career because she wanted to switch to indoor from outdoor volley. Sport bureaus tried to ban her. Just imagine the pressure
Zhang, Zhu, and Yuan were all youngsters when they won OG Gold but isn't Zhang the youngest starter player to ever win OG Gold? I don't think Zhang started the Gold Medal match, but she finished it with that serve, and she's older than Yuan, I believe, but I don't think Yuan "started the tournament", so to speak. I just have this memory of friends saying this about Zhang when we were watching it --along with the troubles you mention about switching indoor/outdoor. Their take was that she was a bit high maintenance, but worth it.