Thaísa Menezes

Thaísa Daher de Menezes (; born 15 May 1987) is a Brazilian professional volleyball player. She won back-to-back gold medals at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics. She has won numerous Best Spiker and Best Blocker Awards, and is often singled out as one of the greatest Brazilian players of all time.

Biography

Menezes was born in the Campo Grande district, located in the western part of Rio de Janeiro. Her father is former serviceman Domingos de Menezes and her mother, Monica Daher, is a descendant of immigrants from Lebanon. Until the age of 13, Thaísa was engaged in swimming, but then, following the example of her brother Tiago, she switched to volleyball.

A year later, she was accepted into the youth team of the Tizhuk club, where Julio Cugna, one of the best mentors for working with young athletes, became her coach. In 2002, Menezes was invited to the Minas team (Belo Horizonte)- one of the strongest in Brazil, with which she won her first club level medal that same season, becoming the silver medalist of the Brazilian championship. In the same 2002 (at the age of 15), Menezes made her debut in two teams of her country at once, youth and junior, becoming the champion of two championships of South America with them. A year later, the volleyball player became the world champion both among youth teams and among juniors.

Career Menezes was part of the Brazilian team that won the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Menezes won a silver medal with Sollys Osasco at the 2010 FIVB World Club Championship. She also earned the Best Spiker award.

At the 2011 Pan-American Cup, Menezes was given the Best Blocker award, and also won a gold medal with her national team.

Menezes was part of the national team who won a gold medal at the 2011 Pan American Games held in Guadalajara, Mexico.

In the 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix, Menezes won a silver medal with her national team and the individual award of Best Blocker.

Menezes was part of the national team which won a gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games held in London, UK.

Playing with Sollys Nestlé Osasco, Menezes won a gold medal and the Best Spiker award in the 2012 FIVB Club World Championship held in Doha, Qatar.

Menezes claimed the silver medal in the 2014 FIVB Club World Championship, playing with Molico Osasco, where her team lost 0–3 to the Russian Dinamo Kazan the championship match. She was named Best Team as Best Middle Blocker at the championship.

Menezes played with her national team, winning a bronze medal at the 2014 World Championship when her team defeated Italy 3–2 in the bronze medal match.

Menezes retired from the national team in 2018. In 2023, she announced her return to the team and played in the 2023 FIVB Volleyball Women's Nations League as well as the Olympic qualifying tournament. She was part of Brazil's roster in the 2024 Paris Olympics. After winning bronze in the 2024 Olympics, she announced her retirement once again.

Clubs Minas Tênis Clube (2002–2005) Rio de Janeiro Vôlei Clube (2005–2008) Osasco Voleibol Clube (2008–2016) Eczacıbaşı VitrA (2016–2018) Hinode Barueri (2018–2019) Minas Tênis Clube (2019–)

Awards

Individual 2010 FIVB Club World Championship – "Best Spiker" 2011 Pan-American Cup – "Best Blocker" 2011 FIVB World Grand Prix – "Best Server" 2012 Summer Olympics South American qualification – "Best Blocker" 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix – "Best Blocker" 2012 South American Club Championship – "Best Blocker" 2013 FIVB Club World Championship – "Best Spiker" 2013 FIVB World Grand Prix – "Most Valuable Player" 2013 FIVB World Grand Prix – "Best Middle Blocker" 2013–2014 Brazilian Superliga – "Best Blocker" 2014 FIVB World Championship – "Best Middle Blocker" 2014 FIVB Club World Championship – "Best Middle Blocker" 2016 FIVB World Grand Prix – "Best Middle Blocker" 2020 South American Club Championship – "Most Valuable Player" 2021–2022 Brazilian Superliga – "Best Middle Blocker" 2022–2023 Brazilian Superliga – "Best Middle Blocker" 2023 South American Championship – "Best Middle Blocker"

Clubs