尽管奥运赛场上观众寥寥无几，但中国女子手球队的姑娘们早已习惯了这样的场面。在2004年8月23日结束的小组赛中，中国队以28以23战胜巴西队，两胜两负排名小组第三，从而取得了参加四分之一决赛的资格，晋级八强。
外电报道如下：
China advanced to the quarterfinals of the Women's Handball competition after beating Brazil 28-23 in their Group A clash today. …They（Brazil）were ignited by Zhai Chao (CHN), the best player in the world last year, who scored four goals in a row to put China ahead. Following her example, the other Chinese players clamped down on the Brazilians and went on a goal frenzy of their own.
Clamp down常和on连用，表示“对……施加压力；取缔”，例如：The police clamped down on illegal stock exchange activities in the streets.（警察取缔了街道上的非法证券交易。）名词clamp-down表示“（为防止和压制某事而采取的）严厉政策”。