Wilfredo León facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wilfredo León |
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León in 2024
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | Wilfredo León Venero | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname | Leo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Cuban, Polish | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 31 July 1993 Santiago, Cuba |
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| Height | 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 96 kg (212 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spike | 380 cm (150 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Block | 346 cm (136 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Volleyball information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Outside hitter | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current team | LUK Lublin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| National team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Wilfredo León Venero (born July 31, 1993) is a famous volleyball player. He plays as an outside hitter, which means he is a key player for both attacking and defending. He currently plays for the Polish club Bogdanka LUK Lublin.
Wilfredo was born in Cuba. He played for the Cuban national team from 2007 to 2012. Later, he became a citizen of Poland and now plays for the Polish national team. Many experts consider him one of the best volleyball players ever. He helped Cuba win a silver medal at the 2010 World Championship.
Contents
About Wilfredo León
Wilfredo León was born in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. His birthday is July 31, 1993. His mother, Alina Venero Boza, was also a volleyball player.
He studied at the National School of Cuban Volleyball. Wilfredo married Małgorzata Gronkowska on June 24, 2016. Their daughter, Natalia, was born in May 2017.
Wilfredo's Volleyball Journey
Early Career in Cuba
Wilfredo started playing volleyball when he was just seven years old. His first coach was his mother. He joined the Cuban national team on May 24, 2008, when he was only 14.
In 2009, he won the "Best Receiver" award at the World League. He also earned a silver medal at the World U21 Championship. That same year, the Cuban team, with Wilfredo, won the NORCECA Championship. They won it again in 2011.
Wilfredo was the youngest captain of the Cuban national team at age 17. In 2010, Cuba won a silver medal at the World Championship. In 2012, he helped Cuba win a bronze medal at the World League.
Playing for Clubs Abroad
In 2013, Wilfredo decided to play for clubs outside Cuba. This meant he could no longer play for the Cuban national team. In 2014, he joined the Russian club Zenit Kazan. There, he won many important titles, including the CEV Champions League multiple times.
He also played part-time for the Qatari club Al Rayyan in 2015 and 2016. In September 2018, Wilfredo moved to Italy to play for SIR Safety Perugia.
Representing Poland
On July 14, 2015, Wilfredo León became a Polish citizen. Five years later, he was allowed to play for the Polish national volleyball team.
He has since achieved great success with Poland. In 2024, he won a silver medal at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Achievements and Awards
Wilfredo León has won many awards and championships throughout his career.
Club Success
He has won many titles with his clubs:
- CEV Champions League: 4 gold medals with Zenit Kazan (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018).
- FIVB Club World Championship: 3 gold medals (2017 with Zenit Kazan; 2022, 2023 with Sir Safety Perugia).
- Domestic Championships:
* 3 Cuban Championships with Capitalinos and Orientales de Santiago (2009, 2010, 2011). * 4 Russian Championships with Zenit Kazan (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018). * 1 Italian Championship with Sir Safety Perugia (2024).
- Domestic Cups and SuperCups: Many wins in Russian and Italian Cup and SuperCup competitions.
Individual Awards
Wilfredo has also received many individual awards for his amazing skills:
- Best Server: FIVB World League (2009).
- Best Spiker: NORCECA Championship (2009, 2011), CEV Champions League (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018), FIVB Club World Championship (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022), CEV European Championship (2019).
- Most Valuable Player (MVP): NORCECA Championship (2009), Pan American Games (2011), CEV Champions League (2015, 2016), CEV European Championship (2023).
- Best Scorer: NORCECA Championship (2011).
Special Recognition
- State Award: In 2024, he received the Knight's Cross of Polonia Restituta from Poland. This is a very important award.
World Record
Wilfredo holds a record for the fastest serve speed: 138 kilometers per hour!
See also
In Spanish: Wilfredo León para niños
