The Cuban Yumilka Ruiz appears among the candidates to be exalted this year to the Hall of Fame of the International Volleyball (IVHF, for its acronym in English) in which several players from the island already appear.
The former member of the spectacular Morenas del Caribe, a name with which an entire generation of successful players transcended, was included in the list of 16 applicants, all with a relevant career in the different modalities of volleyball, according to a note of the International Federation.
VOTE NOW! The IVHF’s ballot for 2023 Hall of Fame induction features 16 accomplished nominees hailing from 13 nations. Vote on who you want to see in the Class of 2023. https://t.co/scQpcdWuuW pic.twitter.com/OahL0GPxMR
— VB Hall of Fame (@vbhalloffame) April 4, 2023
The attacker from Camagüey was a member of the champion teams in the Olympic Games Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000, and was also in the group that won third place in the Athens 2004 edition.
In addition, other titles at the regional and continental level appear in her record, and she is remembered for her leadership within the formation of the island, of which she became its captain until her retirement.
Yumilka had been part of the proposal in 2021, when the also Cuban Taismary Agüero ended up being exalted, who ended her career defending the colors of Italy.
Now the Cuban is accompanied by the American Rose Mayer-Powell, the Japanese Kuni Nakada and the Chinese Zhang Rongfang, while in the men’s section there are the South Korean Kim Ho-Chul, the Serbian Ivan Miljkovic, the Japanese Katsutoshi Nekoda and the Argentine Raúl Quiroga , according to official information.
In turn, in the beach modality, the American Phil Dalhausser and the Brazilian Larissa França Maestrini were nominated on this occasion, while among the coaches the proposals are shared by the German Siegfried Kholer and the Italian Silvano Prandi.
According to reports, as of April 16, fans will be able to vote daily via on-line by the candidates in the different categories.
The six with the best results in that vote will enter the official ballot, from which the IVHF International Selection Committee will select the 2023 Class of the International Volleyball Hall of Fame.
The definitive integration will be announced on May 23 and the exaltation ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, October 21 in the US town of Holyoke, Massachusetts, the birthplace of volleyball.
The first Cuban volleyball player to enter this select group of players was Regla Torres, in 2001, and three years later it was the turn of the legendary Mireya Luis. Magaly Carvajal, also a player from the island, was part of the 2011 promotion and Mirka Francia received recognition in 2019.
As for the coaches, on the island only the legendary Cuban Eugenio George appears among those chosen, thanks to the notable leadership of the Morenas del Caribe to the conquest of several world and Olympic titles, among other achievements.
