Wilfredo León Ties World Record in Serve Speed

September 9, 2023

The stellar Cuban volleyball player executed a serve that reached a speed of 138 km/h in the match between Poland and Denmark; equaling the mark set by himself in 2020.

The stellar Cuban volleyball player naturalized as Polish, Wilfredo León, tied his own world record in serve speed this week during the match between Poland and Denmark at the 2023 European Championship.

In the first set of the game, Wilfredo León executed a serve that reached a speed of 138 km/h. Poland, which remains undefeated in the championship, won the set 25-23, as well as the match (3-0).

The Caribbean native, from the province of Santiago de Cuba and standing 2.01 meters tall, had achieved this mark in 2020, during the game for the sixth date of the Italian Superliga.

After leaving the Island in 2013 heading to Russia, Wilfredo León signed with Russian Zenit Kazan, where he became one of the best players in the world. He won the Russian championship four times and four Champions League titles.

In 2018 he signed with SIR Safety Perugia and in his first season with the club he won the Coppa Italia. In February of this year he was chosen MVP of the Italian Superliga.

León, one of the greatest volleyball players Cuba has ever had, was an international with the Cuban national team between 2008 and 2013 and won, among others, two North American championships (2009 and 2011) and the silver medal at the 2010 Italy World Championship, when the Caribbean team lost in the final against Brazil. That team also included great Cuban volleyball players such as Raidel Hierrezuelo, Robertlandy Simón, and Yoandy Leal who, like Wilfredo León, decided to leave Cuba in search of a better future.