Mireya Luis facts for kids

Alejandrina Mireya Luis Hernández (born 25 August 1967) is a famous Cuban former volleyball player. She is known for being one of the best players in the world. Mireya won three Olympic gold medals with the Cuban women's national volleyball team. She was the captain of her team for many years until she retired.

In 2004, Mireya was honored by being added to the International Volleyball Hall of Fame. This shows how important she was to the sport.

Quick facts for kids Mireya Luis
Personal information
Full name	Alejandrina Mireya Luis Hernández
Born	(1967-08-25) 25 August 1967 (age 58) Camagüey, Cuba
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight	69 kg (152 lb)
Spike	339 cm (133 in)
Block	325 cm (128 in)
Volleyball information
Position	Outside hitter
Number	3
National team
1983–2001  Cuba
Honours Women's volleyball Representing  Cuba Olympic Games Gold 1992 Barcelona Team Gold 1996 Atlanta Team Gold 2000 Sydney Team World Championship Gold 1994 Brazil Team Gold 1998 Japan Team Silver 1986 Czechoslovakia Team FIVB World Cup Gold 1989 Japan Gold 1991 Japan Gold 1995 Japan Team Silver 1985 Japan World Grand Champions Cup Gold 1993 Japan Silver 1997 Japan FIVB World Grand Prix Gold 1993 Hong Kong Gold 2000 Quezon City Silver 1994 Shanghai Silver 1996 Shanghai Silver 1997 Kobe Bronze 1995 Shanghai Bronze 1998 Hong Kong Friendship Games Gold 1984 Varna Pan American Games Gold 1983 Caracas Team Gold 1987 Indianapolis Team Gold 1991 Havana Team Gold 1995 Mar del Plata Team Silver 1999 Winnipeg Team NORCECA Volleyball Championship Gold 1985 Santiago de los Caballeros Gold 1987 Havana Gold 1989 San Juan Gold 1991 Regina Gold 1993 Colorado Springs Gold 1995 Santo Domingo Gold 1997 Caguas Central American and Caribbean Games Gold 1998 Maracaibo Team

Mireya Luis's Amazing Volleyball Career

Mireya Luis started playing volleyball when she was just 10 years old. She quickly became very good at the sport. By the time she was 16, she joined the Cuban national team.

Winning Gold at the Pan American Games

Mireya's first big win with the national team was at the 1983 Pan American Games. She helped Cuba win a gold medal there. She continued to win gold medals at these games in 1987, 1991, and 1995. This shows how strong the Cuban team was with her on it.

Success in World Cups and Championships

Mireya also had great success in international tournaments. In 1985, she won a silver medal at the FIVB World Cup. She was even named the "best attacker" in that competition. Later, she won three gold medals at the FIVB World Cup in 1989, 1991, and 1995. She was often recognized as the "best spiker" and "most valuable player" in these events.

Mireya also led her team to a silver medal at the 1986 FIVB World Championship. Then, she helped Cuba win gold medals at the World Championships in 1994 and 1998.

Olympic Gold Medals

Mireya faced a challenge in 1990 when she had a knee injury. But she worked hard to recover and came back even stronger. She won her first Olympic gold medal in 1992 at the Barcelona Games. Four years later, she won her second Olympic gold medal in 1996 in Atlanta.

Even though she thought about retiring, Mireya decided to keep playing. This led to her winning a third Olympic gold medal in 2000 in Sydney. After this amazing achievement, she retired from playing in 2001.

Mireya's Incredible Jump

Mireya was famous for her incredible jumping ability. Even though she was 1.75 meters (5 feet 9 inches) tall, she could jump and hit the ball at a height of 3.39 meters (11 feet 1 inch). This was higher than almost any other player in the world! Her powerful jumps made her a very tough player to block.

Mireya's Role in FIVB

After her playing career, Mireya continued to be involved in volleyball. In 2018, she was chosen to be the executive vice president of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB). This is a very important role in the world of volleyball.

Personal Life

Mireya Luis has a daughter named Idanaisi. She also has a grandson named Darío.

Awards and Recognitions

Mireya Luis received many individual awards during her career. These awards recognized her as one of the best players in the world.

• 1985 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup "Best Attacker"
• 1989 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup "Most Valuable Player"
• 1989 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup "Best Spiker"
• 1991 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup "Best Attacker"
• 1991 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup "Spirit of Fight"
• 1994 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship "Best Spiker"
• 1993 FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix "Most Valuable Player"
• 1995 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup "Most Valuable Player"
• 1995 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup "Best Spiker"

See also

In Spanish: Mireya Luis para niños