I like both teams, both were/amazing to watch, but I would add CHN Athens 2004. Kun Feng distribution (magic) and those quick slides from CHN were
A legendary team too, in the most competitive Olympics of this century.
The Athens final is my all time favorite. The contrast of style, the height & power of sky high balls from Russia, the skill delicacy from China, all have been gone and no longer been found in today’s volleyball.
And talking about slide, its importance is fading out in women’s volleyball, as the sport has become more and more like the men’s volleyball. In this OG, all medalists don’t have real slider on court except Washington, but her slide efficiency was low. Carol tried to run slide in bronze medal match, but that wasn’t successful as well. Even looking at all teams in QF, only Eda & Yuan run slides as their main weapon. We may see even less slider in LA, Eda will be 41 if she’s there, Yuan probably will be there, not sure if Lubian can improve her block and become starter. Other than them I may still miss someone, but overall sliders are becoming rare and its importance in the game is no longer that significant.
