Biography of Cuban Volleyball Player Mireya Luis Presented in Dominican Republic

February 9, 2022

The biography of outstanding Cuban volleyball player Mireya Luis was recently presented in the Dominican Republic, a country that has just granted her nationality in recognition of her sports and civic merits.

Between Heaven and Earth, by Cuban journalist Oscar Sánchez Serra, recounts the main moments in the professional career of one of the most spectacular volleyball players worldwide.

According to Dominican media outlets, the book also discusses the athlete's values, her perception of race, identity and family values. It likewise covers the perseverance and sacrifice of high-performance athletes.

The text also references statistics on Mireya Luis's performance with the Morenas del Caribe, the elite Cuban team with which she became one of the best volleyball players on the planet, achieving three Olympic gold medals.

The famous athlete triumphed under the five rings in Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1995 and Sydney 2000. She was also a two-time world champion and multiple winner at Pan American Games, Central American and Caribbean Games.

The work does not fail to include passages dedicated to her relationships with her teammates on the national team and in a very special way with coach Eugenio George, whom she considered as a father. The book launch was attended by personalities from the sports and cultural world of the Dominican Republic, the country from which the former Cuban athlete received nationality just a few weeks ago.

The naturalization of the athlete was granted by the Dominican president himself, Luis Abinader, who by law is the only one who can grant this recognition to a foreigner, provided they deserve it by virtue of providing eminent services to that country or to humanity.

The president of that nation emphasized that Mireya Luis constitutes a constant inspiration for new generations of Cuban and Dominican volleyball players. He likewise considers her a role model for her high moral and civic standards, in addition to her numerous sports awards.

At the ceremony to receive her second nationality, the Cuban said she felt "very honored by such a distinction that is granted to me and which I accept with satisfaction and pride."

In February 2021 Mireya Luis was elected member of the Board of Administration of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB). According to information about her appointment, she was the candidate with the highest number of votes with 137 points in her favor.

For her impeccable sports trajectory, she was also selected among the most outstanding athletes of the twentieth century. Her name was included in the Volleyball Hall of Fame in Massachusetts, United States.