Bittersweet night for the "Iron Hammer"

By Paul Majendie

BEIJING (Reuters) - For the "Iron Hammer", it was a night of bittersweet emotions -- Lang Ping just failed to nail it for the United States in the women's volleyball final on Saturday.

Once one of the world's top volleyball players, the 44-year-old Chinese coach steered the American team all the way to the final only to fall at the last hurdle against world number one Brazil.

Lang, who put volleyball on the map in China when they won the 1984 gold medal in Los Angeles on their return to the Olympic fold, had in four years worked wonders bringing an inexperienced team up to medal-winning standard.

But she had to tread a delicate path, eager to ensure that on her return to her motherland she would not attract the ire of Chinese fans. She need not have worried. They cheered her to the rafters.

"I am very lucky. The people here have shown us lots of care and love. It was a great encouragement for our players," said Lang, deeply touched by the reception she received in Beijing.

"I am not an emotional person myself but I enjoyed seeing the players do so well."

Lang, known as Jenny in the United States, took the job after coaching several Italian league teams because it gave her the chance to join her daughter who lives in America.

Known as the "Iron Hammer" in her playing days and inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2002, she went on an eventful journey from the day China beat the United States in the 1984 final.

A national heroine, she helped to popularize the game in China and even had her face on postage stamps.

The soft-spoken Lang was the first to admit: "We had a very short time to organize the team for this tournament. The players did their best."

But the contrast could not have been sharper afterwards.

The Brazilians whooped, cheered and danced around the arena in an exuberant victory parade while the Americans were the picture of dejection.

Asked if she might now contemplate returning home to coach the Chinese, Lang said "Right now I don't really think so. I really need a vacation. I believe there are lots of great coaches in China."

(Additional reporting by John Ruwitch; Editing by Alex Richardson)