This Day, That Year: Sept 25

Editor's note: This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of New China.

On Sept 25, 1982, the Chinese women's volleyball team won the World Championship in Lima, Peru, as seen in this item from China Daily.

The team won five world titles in a row in the 1980s, inspiring the nation so much that the "spirit of the women's volleyball team" has since become a phrase in Chinese.

It also won the 1981 World Cup and claimed gold at the Olympics in Los Angeles in 1984.

The Chinese players struck Olympic gold again at the 2004 Athens Games by overcoming Russia.

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, China won the title for the third time, defeating Serbia 3-1 in the final, after defeating champions Brazil in the quarterfinal.

It also won silver at the Atlanta 1996 Games and bronze at the Seoul 1988 and Beijing 2008 Games.

The team has netted four World Cup victories and two World Championships.

In the latest world rankings for women's volleyball, China was in second place behind Serbia.

On Monday, China thrashed the United States in straight sets 25-16,25-17, 25-22 in the ongoing Women's Volleyball World Cup to snatch their seventh victory in a row.

On Tuesday, Team China breezed to their eighth straight victory, dismantling Kenya 3-0 (25-12, 25-12, 25-14).

The women's national teams of Brazil, China, Italy Russia, Serbia and the United States won their respective pools in the Tokyo Volleyball Qualification Tournament for the Tokyo Olympic Games next year.

"Winning the Olympic ticket is our first step," said Team China coach Lang Ping.

Lang also led the US women's national team to the silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Known as the "Iron Hammer" during her playing days on the Chinese team in the 1980s, Lang was inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2002.

She was a member of the Chinese team that won the World Championship in 1982, as well as World Cup titles in 1981 and 1985. She led the national team to gold against the US in 1984.