China contributes to landscape change in beach volleyball

It was once the sport of the golden shores of California and Brazil, but now more nations are trying to cultivate winners in Beach Volleyball.

As the sport expands, many countries are taking it far more seriously. And that means traditional winners are being replaced by hot new competition from around the world - especially China. 

There's sun, sea and sand - but here beach volleyball is a serious business. Training translates into world class competition. Especially for Olympic medalists like Zhang Xi. She was one of China's first winners in beach volleyball. She's now moved to Southern California hoping it will bring her more titles.

"Because I know America is the birthplace of beach volleyball and if I want to get to know beach volleyball well I have to live here. We are first two teams to bring beach volleyball to China and make little girls start to like beach volleyball so we're so proud we can make the people like beach volleyball and enjoy our playing." Zhang said.

Zhang Xi competes in the 2012 London Olympics Games, July 28, 2012.[Photo:Xinhua]

And for players in the USA who've grown up near the beach - the world taking the sport more seriously means better competition. 

Geena Urango is a professional beach volleyball player from the USA."I think it's really awesome to see how fast the sport is growing - and also to know it's the fastest growing emerging sport at that level too so give it a few years and the depth is going to be even bigger than it is now."

Traditionally beach volleyball has been played in places like here in Southern California where there's year round sunshine. But in 1996 the sport was beamed into people's living rooms for the first time - and after that first Olympics it started to take off. 

Donald Sun is from the Association of Volleyball Professionals."I think the days of US dominance is over. Olympics has a lot to do with the popularity and rise in other countries obviously not specifically the united states because in the US over here we've been playing since the 30s. Other countries and their national governing bodies have really put in more investment into cultivating professional beach volleyball players around the world."

At the last Olympics the USA had to settle for third place in the women's tournament and didn't even medal in the men's. But while other countries like China, overtake America, fans here say the sport's higher profile can only be a good thing.