Giba debuted in a Senior World Championship at the age of 17 and his team took the gold medal. That was the beginning of a sport dossier whose greatest splendor was reached at Athens 2004 Olympics.

Despite being only higher than the libero in his team, the 1.92-meter lanky wing spiker has the ability to score from anywhere on the court with an average successful attack percentage of more than 50 percent.

Additionally, he can see the next couple of moves well before his opponents, which makes him also a strong defensive player.

Sometimes carrying on is the greatest challenge for many athletes, but Giba has handled unexpectedly well. His winning momentum seems unstoppable after Athens. The latest regalia include gold medal and the most valuable player title of the 2007 World Cup.

Since the birth of his first daughter, Nicolle, on the midway through Athens Games, Giba has developed a balance between his father role life and his on-court intensity, which has allowed him to provide Brazil with the type of leadership it needs -- more responsible, considerate and enthusiastic Giba.

Currently, Giba recovered from an ankle injury, and his teammates are preparing for the 2008 World League final round scheduled from July 23-27, an important warm-up for the Beijing Games. Brazil will face their Olympic preliminary rivals Russia and Poland.

Besides regular court training, the team has also begun learning Chinese.

"All is for the best in Beijing," said coach Bernado Rezende.

(Xinhua News Agency July 20, 2008)