Liu Jia makes a comeback and wants to go to the Olympics

This was announced by the long-standing ÖTTV top player and, with Linz-Froschberg, internationally highly successful Upper Austrian on Tuesday. The 41-year-old European champion from 2005 also wants to qualify again for the Olympic Games, which will take place in the city of her new club in 2024.

In order to get match practice for the hoped-for Olympic participation, she chose the path to the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis. “The French league is the strongest league in Europe and Saint-Denis is the top club. They were champions before and want to be again,” said Liu, who said she was recovering from her recent injury. She will continue to train in Austria and only travel to France for up to ten championship appearances, the mother of an eleven-year-old daughter added at a media event for her sponsor Backaldrin in Asten.

The home of their new club is the warm-up hall for the Paris Summer Games. “It’s the perfect place to prepare for the Olympics,” emphasized Liu, who first has to qualify with the Austrian team. With six appearances, she is the Austrian with the most participations in the Summer Olympics. In terms of gender, she is in second place behind sailor Hubert Raudaschl (10). She made her Olympic debut in Sydney in 2000, but never managed to win a medal in the sign of the five rings or at world championships. Her Olympic top results in singles were ninth places in 2016 and 2021, with the Austrian team she finished fifth in Brazil seven years ago.

Liu came to Austria in 1997 at the age of 15 on the encouragement of then Linz coach Liu Yan Jun after not quite making it to the top in her parents’ home country. On January 21, 1998, “Susi” – the nickname arose rather by chance from an apple juice brand with this name – was naturalized. Her first international title followed in 1998 with youth European Championship gold, and she successfully defended it the following year.

The year of her biggest single triumphs was 2005 when she won the European top 12 and the European title in Aarhus. Around the European Championships 18 years ago in Denmark, she met her future husband David Arvidson, daughter Anna was born on July 17, 2011.

Before and long after she recorded further successes. In 2008 and 2010 she won silver at the European Championships, in 2012 it was bronze, as in mixed with Werner Schlager in 2002 and 2005. Nine years ago she was again a top 12 winner. This year it also worked with team EM silver. Champions League titles with Froschberg were not missing either, at World Cup level she made it to fifth place in 2001. She said goodbye to her long-term club Froschberg in April last year and announced that she would be working as a trainer from then on. Since then, however, she has continued to play for the national team, and now she will be returning to club level in France in August, which is planned for a year.

“Liu Jia brings a wealth of experience and achievement to our team. Her impressive skills and relentless commitment to excellence make her a valuable asset to our team,” said St Denis President Jean-Claude Molet of the new signing. Liu will play with top French talent Prithika Pavade, among others.