BEIJING, July 9 -- The number 8 is not lucky for Zhao Ruirui. China's towering spiker was wearing the normally auspicious number when she seriously injured herself four years ago. Now sporting jersey No 9, Zhao has come back strong and is ready to play her best during the Beijing Olympic Games.

"It is some kind of superstition, Zhao admitted. "But I just hope to leave all the bad luck behind and start this new chapter of my career."

It has been a long and frustrating period since Zhao's career-threatening injury in 2002. "The Glass Beauty", as she is known by fans and media, fractured her right shin bone and struggled with the injury for the next several years.

She appeared fit heading into the Athens Olympics and was named to the starting lineup. But she played only three minutes before limping off, having re-aggravated the injury.

Although China still won the gold that year, Zhao had to watch from the bench. She has been out of competition until she came back early last month.

"I am fit again and my fingers are crossed that the injury will never happen again," the 27-year-old said.

"What happened four years ago is still fresh in my mind. I will never forget.

Zhao Ruirui delivers a spike as Japan's Miyuki Kano fails to block in the women's volleyball match at the Macao leg of the FIBV Grand Prix last Friday. China defeated Japan 3-0, followed by a 3-0 decision over the Dominican Republic on Saturday and a 0-3 loss to Brazil on Sunday.

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