In the morning of Monday, the 24th, Brazil women’s national volleyball team’s libero, and gold-medal winner in the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympic Games, visited the Rio 2016™ Organising Committee’s headquarters in order to celebrate Olympic Day, commemorated all around the world on 23 June, the day the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was founded in 1894. The athlete talked about the beginning of her career, told behind-the-scenes stories of the Brazilian national team and ensured that, from 5 August 2016, Brazil will host an unprecedented competition.

“It’s way easier to be reprimanded by Bernardinho (the national team’s coach) than to face this crowd”, she joked at the start of her talk. Fabí recalled a few highlights of her career’s beginning. She said she would love to get to know the inventor of the libero position in volleyball personally, introduced in 1998, when was playing for Macaé along Isabel and Márcia Fu among others.

“After that my life changed. I was one of the shortest players in the team but I grabbed this opportunity with all my might. The libero position changed the sport and that includes allowing very tall athletes such as Fabiana (middle blocker) to compete. Can you imagine how difficult it is for a 1.95m-tall woman to play in a defensive position? I believe Brazil took full advantage of these changes”, she said.

In 2001, Fabí was already one of the national team’s first-choice players and was on the court during Brazilian volleyball greatest victories but also during the greatest defeats. In the Athens 2004 Games and the 2006 World Championship, Brazil lost to Russia in the final. At that time, the women’s national team earned the moniker “chicken” as they were defeated in decisive matches in the end, after opening a great lead.

The athlete of acrobatic defenses gave way to much sympathy when visiting the Rio 2016™ (Photo: Marcelo Omena)

“Understanding defeat is one of the hardest things for an athlete. It’s part of the game and it’s part of the sport’s protocol. Then, in 2007, there was a new 3-2 defeat, to Cuba this time, in the Rio Pan American Games final, in Maracanãzinho Arena. All these defeats strengthened our team but the 2004 one was the craziest. Zé Roberto (the national team’s coach) used to say that a part of him died and, in the 2008 Games, he said: ‘I’d like you to give me the chance of becoming a whole Zé Roberto once again’. Those words became etched in our minds and helped us in our search for victory in Beijing”, she said under the audience’s applause.

Brazil national team’s eternal libero was guided in her visit by Ricardo Prado, Los Angeles 1984 silver medallist and Head of Rio 2016™ Sport Advisory Committee. Located in Estácio neighbourhood of Rio’s central region, the Rio 2016™ Committee’s brand new auditorium was filled to capacity for Fabí’s lecture. The week started differently for more than 160 people who work in order for athletes to achieve their best possible performance in the next edition of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Ten employees also received an autographed volleyball.

Prado thanked the athlete’s disposition. She was training in Saquarema, in the State of Rio de Janeiro, and travelled to the state capital to celebrate this important date. Very obliging, Fabí posed for pictures and handed out many autographs. Before that, she left a message that will be kept in the hearts of many Rio 2016™ employees.

“We athletes are the protagonists but without you (the organisers) things do not happen. Brazil national team’s two gold medals are a national team achievement but this achievement belongs to all of us. In 2016, we’ll celebrate a great edition of the Olympic Games. We Brazilians are receptive. We are the kings of improvisation and spontaneity”, she ensured.

Ricardo Prado and Fabí smiles after the event at Rio 2016™ headquarters (Photo: Marcelo Omena)