Lang, who made Olympic history in Rio in 2016 by becoming a gold medallist as a coach having done so as a player decades earlier, said she planned to retire from coaching after the Games.

“I just want to go home and stay with my family as they have been supporting me and my career for all those years,” she said.

Rio gold medallists China defeated Argentina in straight sets today, but their second win followed three straight defeats in the wake of an injury to talisman and captain Zhou Ting.

“I told everyone to keep fighting,” Lang said when asked what she had told the players, some of whom were in tears.

“I hope they don’t forget about their experiences in Tokyo and they perform better in Paris in three years.”

An emotional Lang apologised to the fans on Saturday when Turkey’s win over Argentina eliminated China, saying: “It was unexpected that we could not advance to the quarterfinal stage and I have to say that is my responsibility as head coach.”

Lang was appointed to her current position in 2013.

She was the subject of the 2020 documentary “The Iron Hammer” which detailed her four-decade career in the sport, including her 1984 Los Angeles gold as a player and the team’s win in Rio.