Mireya Luis
Encyclopedia
Alejandrina Mireya Luis Hernández, often referred to as Mireya (born February 25, 1967 in Camagüey
) is a retired Cuba
n volleyball
player.
At the age of 10 she started playing volleyball. At 16, Mireya joined the Cuban national team for the 1983 Pan-American Games, in which Cuba took first place. She would play with them again in the 1987 Games, and Cuba would again win the tournament. After a brief hiatus due to injury, she resumed play in 1990 at the World Championship in Japan where the Cuban team finished fourth. In 1991 she led the Cuban team to win its first ever World Cup in Japan in 1991 . Mireya won her first Olympic gold medal at the 1992 Games
in Barcelona with teammate Regla Bell
. She would win a second gold in Atlanta in 1996, again playing with the Cuban national team. Meanwhile, she also led Cuba to two world championships in 1994 where she was chosen the best spiker and Cuba won every match with a perfect 3-0. The team would win again in 1998. Mireya retired after a second Grand Prix and a third Olympic gold medal in 2000.
Luis is known for her spectacular jumping power reaching 3.39 meter, more than any other player, though being only 1.75 meter tall.
She earned numerous "best scorer", "best spiker" and "best player" awards at world, Olympic and continental championships.
Camagüey
Camagüey is a city and municipality in central Cuba and is the nation's third largest city. It is the capital of the Camagüey Province.After almost continuous attacks from pirates the original city was moved inland in 1528.The new city was built with a confusing lay-out of winding alleys that made...
) is a retired Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
player.
At the age of 10 she started playing volleyball. At 16, Mireya joined the Cuban national team for the 1983 Pan-American Games, in which Cuba took first place. She would play with them again in the 1987 Games, and Cuba would again win the tournament. After a brief hiatus due to injury, she resumed play in 1990 at the World Championship in Japan where the Cuban team finished fourth. In 1991 she led the Cuban team to win its first ever World Cup in Japan in 1991 . Mireya won her first Olympic gold medal at the 1992 Games
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
in Barcelona with teammate Regla Bell
Regla Bell
Regla Maritza Bell MacKenzie is female volleyball player from Cuba who won three times the gold medal at the Olympic Games from 1992–2000, and the World Championship in 1998 with the Cuban national team....
. She would win a second gold in Atlanta in 1996, again playing with the Cuban national team. Meanwhile, she also led Cuba to two world championships in 1994 where she was chosen the best spiker and Cuba won every match with a perfect 3-0. The team would win again in 1998. Mireya retired after a second Grand Prix and a third Olympic gold medal in 2000.
Luis is known for her spectacular jumping power reaching 3.39 meter, more than any other player, though being only 1.75 meter tall.
She earned numerous "best scorer", "best spiker" and "best player" awards at world, Olympic and continental championships.
Individual awards
- 1994 World Championship "Best Spiker"