Taismary Agüero facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Taismary Agüero
Personal information
Full name	Taismary Agüero Leiva Botteghi
Nickname	Tai, Fenomeno, Extraterrestre
Nationality	Italian
Born	(1977-03-05) 5 March 1977 (age 48) Yaguajay, Cuba
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	69 kg (152 lb)
Spike	322 cm (127 in)
Block	300 cm (118 in)
Volleyball information
Position	Wing spiker
Current club	Emilbronzo 2000 Montale
Number	12
National team
1993–2001  Cuba 2007–2014  Italy
Medal record Women's volleyball Representing  CUB Olympic Games Gold 1996 Atlanta Team Gold 2000 Sydney Team World Championship Gold 1998 Japan Team FIVB World Cup Gold 1995 Japan Team Gold 1999 Japan Team FIVB World Grand Prix Gold 2000 Quezon City Silver 1996 Shanghai Silver 1997 Kobe Bronze 1995 Shanghai Bronze 1998 Hong Kong World Grand Champions Cup Silver 1997 Japan Pan American Games Silver 1999 Winnipeg Team Central American and Caribbean Games Gold 1993 Ponce Team Representing  ITA FIVB World Cup Gold 2007 Japan FIVB World Grand Prix Bronze 2007 Ningbo Bronze 2008 Yokohama European Championship Gold 2007 Belgium/Luxembourg Gold 2009 Poland Mediterranean Games Gold 2009 Pescara Team

Taismary Agüero Leiva (born 5 March 1977) is a Cuban-born Italian volleyball player. She is the only player to have represented two women's national volleyball teams that won major titles (1995 FIVB World Cup, 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, 1998 FIVB World Championship, 1999 FIVB World Cup and 2000 Sydney Olympic Games for Cuba; 2007 FIVB World Cup for Italy).

In 2021, Agüero was inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame.

Career

Cuban national team

Agüero was born in Yaguajay in the province of Sancti Spiritus, where she began to play volleyball when she was eight years old. Two years later, she entered in the Cerro Pelado Training Center in Havana. In the 1993 junior championship, she was named MVP, best setter, and best server. After the 1993 junior championship, she joined the Cuban national team.

Agüero won the gold medal with the national team at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. In 1998, together with Mireya Luis, Regla Bell, Ana Ibis Fernandez, and Mirka Francia, Agüero won the 1998 FIVB World Championship in Japan. She won her second Olympic gold medal with the Cuban national team at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.

In the summer of 2001, Agüero left the Cuban national team during a tournament in Switzerland and applied for political asylum in Italy. She joined Pallavolo Sirio Perugia, an Italian volleyball club that she had played with during the 1998–99 and 1999–00 seasons.

Italian national team

At the end of 2006, Agüero became an Italian citizen after marrying Alessio Botteghi. In the summer of 2007, she joined the Italian national team. Playing for Italy, Agüero won the 2007 European Volleyball Championship, where she was declared MVP. She also was selected as the Best Spiker and Best Scorer at the 2007 FIVB World Grand Prix.

Agüero won the gold medal at the 2009 European Volleyball Championship.

Club volleyball

Agüero played for two seasons for Sirio Perugia from 1998 to 2000. She then she played again for Sirio from 2001 to 2005. From 2005 to 2007, she played for Asystel Novara. In 2007–08, she played for Türk Telekom club in Ankara.

Since 2009, Agüero has played for numerous Italian clubs. For the 2009–10 season, she played for Carnaghi Villa Cortese. In 2013–14, Agüero played for the Pomi Casalmaggiore. Since 2018, Agüero has played for Emilbronzo 2000 Montale.

Agüero played opposite later in her career, whereas with the Cuban national team she was a setter and outside hitter.

Clubs

• Sirio Perugia (1998–2005)
• Asystel Novara (2005–2007)
• Türk Telekom Ankara (2007–2009)
• Carnaghi Villa Cortese (2009–2011)
• Universal Volley Modena (2011–2013)
• Pomi Casalmaggiore (2013-2014)
• Volley 2002 Forlì (2014–2016)
• Canovi Sassuolo (2016-2018)
• Emilbronzo 2000 Montale (2018-)

Awards

Individuals

• 1999 FIVB World Cup "Most Valuable Player"
• 1999 FIVB World Cup "Best Server"
• 2007 FIVB World Grand Prix "Best Spiker"
• 2007 FIVB World Grand Prix "Best Scorer"
• 2007 European Championship "Most Valuable Player"

See also

In Spanish: Taismary Agüero para niños