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Taismary Agüero

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In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Agüero and the second or maternal family name is Leiva.
Taismary Agüero
Personal information
Full nameTaismary Agüero Leiva Botteghi
NicknameTai, Fenomeno, Extraterrestre
NationalityItalian
Born (1977-03-05) 5 March 1977 (age 47)
Yaguajay, Cuba
Height1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight69 kg (152 lb)
Spike322 cm (127 in)
Block300 cm (118 in)
Volleyball information
PositionWing spiker
Current clubEmilbronzo 2000 Montale
Number12
National team
1993–2001 Cuba
2007–2014 Italy
Medal record
Women's volleyball
Representing  Cuba
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1996 Atlanta Team
Gold medal – first place 2000 Sydney Team
World Championship
Gold medal – first place 1998 Japan Team
FIVB World Cup
Gold medal – first place 1995 Japan Team
Gold medal – first place 1999 Japan Team
FIVB World Grand Prix
Gold medal – first place 2000 Quezon City
Silver medal – second place 1996 Shanghai
Silver medal – second place 1997 Kobe
Bronze medal – third place 1995 Shanghai
Bronze medal – third place 1998 Hong Kong
World Grand Champions Cup
Silver medal – second place 1997 Japan
Pan American Games
Silver medal – second place 1999 Winnipeg Team
Central American and Caribbean Games
Gold medal – first place 1993 Ponce Team
Representing  Italy
FIVB World Cup
Gold medal – first place 2007 Japan
FIVB World Grand Prix
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Ningbo
Bronze medal – third place 2008 Yokohama
European Championship
Gold medal – first place 2007 Belgium/Luxembourg
Gold medal – first place 2009 Poland
Mediterranean Games
Gold medal – first place 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).[1]

In 2021, Agüero was inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame.[2]

Career

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Cuban national team

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Agüero was born in Yaguajay in the province of Sancti Spiritus, where she began to play volleyball when she was eight years old.[2] Two years later, she entered in the Cerro Pelado Training Center in Havana.[2] In the 1993 junior championship, she was named MVP, best setter, and best server.[2] After the 1993 junior championship, she joined the Cuban national team.[2]

Agüero won the gold medal with the national team at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.[2] In 1998, together with Mireya Luis, Regla Bell, Ana Ibis Fernandez, and Mirka Francia, Agüero won the 1998 FIVB World Championship in Japan.[1] She won her second Olympic gold medal with the Cuban national team at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.[2][1]

In the summer of 2001, Agüero left the Cuban national team during a tournament in Switzerland and applied for political asylum in Italy.[2] She joined Pallavolo Sirio Perugia, an Italian volleyball club that she had played with during the 1998–99 and 1999–00 seasons.[3]

Italian national team

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At the end of 2006, Agüero became an Italian citizen after marrying Alessio Botteghi.[3] In the summer of 2007, she joined the Italian national team.[2] Playing for Italy, Agüero won the 2007 European Volleyball Championship, where she was declared MVP.[4][5] She also was selected as the Best Spiker and Best Scorer at the 2007 FIVB World Grand Prix.[2]

Agüero won the gold medal at the 2009 European Volleyball Championship.[4]

Club volleyball

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Agüero played for two seasons for Sirio Perugia from 1998 to 2000.[4] She then she played again for Sirio from 2001 to 2005.[4] From 2005 to 2007, she played for Asystel Novara.[4] In 2007–08, she played for Türk Telekom club in Ankara.[4]

Since 2009, Agüero has played for numerous Italian clubs. For the 2009–10 season, she played for Carnaghi Villa Cortese.[4] In 2013–14, Agüero played for the Pomi Casalmaggiore.[4] Since 2018, Agüero has played for Emilbronzo 2000 Montale.[4]

Agüero played opposite later in her career, whereas with the Cuban national team she was a setter and outside hitter.[2][4]

Clubs

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Awards

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Individuals

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Tai Agüero". Olympedia. Archived from the original on 6 March 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Taismary Aguero". International Volleyball Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  3. ^ a b Krengli, Roberto (5 March 2019). "Auguri a Taismary Agüero, pallavolista cubana naturalizzata italiana, ex azzurra, atleta dal palmarès smisurato (all'interno), 2 Ori olimpici, 2 Ori Mondiali, 2 Ori Europei, 1 Oro al World Grand Prix, 3 Ori alla Coppa del Mondo e molto altro !". Tuttonovara.it (in Italian). Archived from the original on 10 September 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Taismary Agüero (Tai)". Volleybox.net. Archived from the original on 10 September 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  5. ^ "Individual awards". Volleybox.net. Archived from the original on 10 September 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Taismary Agüero.
Awards
Preceded by Most Valuable Player of
European Championship
2007 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Best Spiker of
FIVB World Grand Prix
2007 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Best Scorer of
FIVB World Grand Prix
2007 		Succeeded by
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