The charismatic captain of the Brazilian volleyball national team, Gabriela Braga Guimarães, or simply Gabi, is recognized as one of the best players to ever emerge from the South American volleyball-loving country. With two Olympic medals and many other victories at both the club and the international levels and a dynamic and entertaining playing style, Gabi continues to solidify her name among the legends of the sport.
A late start to volleyball
A very active child, Gabi was involved with many different sports before falling in love with volleyball. She swam for four years, played tennis for nine and also experimented soccer in her native Belo Horizonte before giving volleyball a try at the age of 14. What attracted her to the courts was the possibility of staying around her high school friends who played the sport, but Gabi’s clear talent and determination pushed her to reach new heights.
Her first attempt to give a step forward in the sport, however, ended in frustration as she was rejected in a trial with traditional Brazilian club Minas Tênis Clube because she was considered too short to play volleyball. Gabi was then accepted at Mackenzie, where she continued to develop and became a professional at the age of 16.
