The Dominican women’s volleyball team has suffered defeat at the hands of the Chinese selection at the World Volleyball championships in Japan. They were beaten 25-12, 25-12 and 25-15 by China, who, according to the Dominican team’s coach, Cuban Jorge Garbey, are the strongest in the world. Our national team, who won gold at the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo in August, have won one out of three matches played so far. The top three teams in the championship will qualify for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.