Yumilka Ruiz

Cuban volleyball player

Yumilka Ruíz
Personal information
Full nameYumilka Ruíz Luaces
Born (1978-05-08) 8 May 1978 (age 46)
Camagüey, Cuba
HometownCamagüey, Cuba
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight62 kg (137 lb)
Spike3.29 m (130 in)
Block3.15 m (124 in)
Volleyball information
PositionOutside hitter
Number1
National team
1996–2008 Cuba

Yumilka Daysi Ruíz Luaces (born 8 May 1978, in Camagüey), more commonly known as Yumilka Ruíz, is a retired volleyball player from Cuba who represented her native country in four consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1996.[1] She won Olympic gold medals with the national team in 1996[2] and 2000.[3] She also claimed the bronze at the 2004 Olympics.[4] As an outside hitter, she was integral to the dominance of the Cuban team in the late 1990s and early 2000s.[5]

In 2023, Ruíz was inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame.[1][5]

Club volleyball

Ruíz played the 2004–05 season with the Russian club Uralochka-NTMK, where she set the record of scoring 53 points in a single match and led her team to the championship title.[6][1]

Ruíz retired in 2008 at age 30.[7] At 1.79 m (5'10"), she had a jump reach of 3.29 m (10'10") at the peak of her career.[8]

After three years of inactivity, Ruíz made a comeback in 2012 to play in Russian League for Uralochka-NTMK Ekaterinburg, and participated in the European Champions League.[9] She retired in 2014.[5]

International Olympic Committee

In August 2008, Ruíz was elected to an eight-year term to the Athletes' Commission of the International Olympic Committee by athletes that cast votes.[10]

Clubs

  • Italy Medinex Reggio Calabria (1996–2000)
  • Cuba Ciudad Habana (2000–2006)
  • Russia Uralochka-NTMK (2004–2005)
  • Cuba Camagüey (2006–2008)
  • Russia Uralochka-NTMK (2012–2014)

Awards

Individuals

Clubs

  • 1998 CEV Cup – Runner-up, with Medinex Reggio Calabria
  • 1999 Italian Cup – Runner-up, with Medinex Reggio Calabria
  • 1998-99 Italian Championship – Runner-up, with Medinex Reggio Calabria
  • 1999-00 Italian Championship – Runner-up, with Medinex Reggio Calabria
  • 2000 Italian Cup – Champion, with Medinex Reggio Calabria
  • 2000 Italian Super Cup – Champion, with Medinex Reggio Calabria
  • 2000 CEV Cup – Champion, with Medinex Reggio Calabria
  • 2004-05 Russian Super League – Champion, with Uralochka-NTMK

References

  1. ^ a b c Coll Untoria, Jorge Luis (16 June 2023). "Yumilka Ruiz, up to the sky in a kite". Oncubanews.com. Archived from the original on 18 June 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  2. ^ Wilson, Bernie (3 August 1996). "Cuba Wins Volleyball Gold". The Washington Post. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 5 June 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2010.
  3. ^ "Cuba women win third consecutive Olympic title". CNN/SI. 12 October 2000. Archived from the original on 16 April 2004. Retrieved 11 March 2010.
  4. ^ "Cuba wins women's volleyball bronze by beating Brazil". USA Today. Associated Press. 29 August 2004. Archived from the original on 19 September 2008. Retrieved 11 March 2010.
  5. ^ a b c Feuer, Tom (22 May 2023). "2023 Volleyball Hall class includes Phil Dalhausser, Larissa, Katsutoshi Nekoda, Yumilka Ruiz". Volleyballmag.com. Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  6. ^ "КУБИНСКИЙ КАРНАВАЛ В ПОДМОСКОВНОЙ ЛОБНЕ" [Cuban Carnival in the Moscow region]. Sport Express (in Russian). 19 February 2005. Archived from the original on 16 April 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  7. ^ "Yumilka Ruiz ratifica su retiro del deporte activo" [Yumilka Ruiz confirms her retirement from active sports]. Granma (in Spanish). 10 October 2008. Archived from the original on 18 September 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2010.
  8. ^ "Highest Spike Touches". Volleywood.net. 3 November 2012. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  9. ^ "1 Yumilka Ruiz Luaces". European Volleyball Confederation. Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  10. ^ Qintu, Si (21 August 2008). "Four athletes elected to IOC Athletes' Commission, Chinese hurdler Liu fail to prevail". CCTV. Xinhua. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2010.
  • Yumilka Ruíz Luaces at Olympics.com
  • Olympedia Profile: Yumilka Ruíz
  • Volleybox.net Profile
  • FIVB Profile
  • Uralochka-NTMK Profile (archived)
  • Medinex Profile (archived)
  • Sports-reference.com Profile (archived)
  • Yumilka Ruiz at databaseOlympics.com (archived)
  • Yumilka Ruiz on the battle for volleyball gold at Sydney (interview)
Awards
Preceded by Best Spiker of
FIVB World Grand Prix
2004 		Succeeded by
  • v
  • t
  • e
Cuba women's volleyball squad – 1996 Summer Olympics – Gold medal
Cuba
  • v
  • t
  • e
Cuba squad – 1998 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship – Gold medal
Cuba
  • v
  • t
  • e
Cuba squad – 1999 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup – Gold medal
Cuba
  • v
  • t
  • e
Cuba women's volleyball squad – 2000 Summer Olympics – Gold medal
Cuba
  • v
  • t
  • e
Cuba women's volleyball squad – 2004 Summer Olympics – Bronze medal
Cuba
  • v
  • t
  • e
Players (men)
Players (women)
Coaches
Officials
  • Glen Davies
  • Alton Fish
  • George J. Fisher
  • Catalino Ignacio
  • Merton H. Kennedy
  • C.L. Miller
  • Endre Holvay
  • Paul Libaud
Leaders