Yumilka Ruiz

{{Infobox volleyball biography

| name = Yumilka Ruíz

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Yumilka Ruíz Luaces

| nickname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|5|8|df=y}}

| birth_place = Camagüey, Cuba

| death_date =

| death_place =

| hometown = Camagüey, Cuba

| height = 1.80 m

| weight = 62 kg

| spike = 3.29 m

| block = 3.15 m

| position = Outside hitter

| teamnumber = 1

| years =

| clubs =

| nationalyears = 1996–2008

| nationalteam = {{vbw|Cuba}}

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry | {{CUB}} }}

File:Olympic rings.svg

}}

Yumilka Daysi Ruíz Luaces (born 8 May 1978) is a Cuban retired volleyball player who represented her native country in four consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1996. She won Olympic gold medals with the national team in 1996{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/olympics/daily/vball/aug/03/cubagold.htm |title=Cuba Wins Volleyball Gold |agency=Associated Press |access-date=2010-03-11 |work=The Washington Post |date=1996-08-03 |last=Wilson |first=Bernie |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160605033942/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/olympics/daily/vball/aug/03/cubagold.htm |archive-date=June 5, 2016 |url-status=live }} and 2000.{{cite news |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/olympics/2000/volleyball/news/2000/09/29/cubagold_volleyball_ap/index.html |title=Cuba women win third consecutive Olympic title |work=CNN/SI |access-date=2010-03-11 |date=2000-10-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040416184728/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/olympics/2000/volleyball/news/2000/09/29/cubagold_volleyball_ap/index.html |archive-date=2004-04-16 |url-status=dead}} She also claimed the bronze at the 2004 Olympics.{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/athens/volleyball/2004-08-28-cuba-brazil-wbronze-match_x.htm |title=Cuba wins women's volleyball bronze by beating Brazil |agency=Associated Press |access-date=2010-03-11 |work=USA Today |date=2004-08-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080919160849/https://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/athens/volleyball/2004-08-28-cuba-brazil-wbronze-match_x.htm |archive-date=September 19, 2008 |url-status=dead }} As an outside hitter, she was integral to the dominance of the Cuban team in the late 1990s and early 2000s.{{Cite web |url=https://volleyballmag.com/2023-international-hall-of-fame-induction-class-052223/ |website=Volleyballmag.com |date=May 22, 2023 |last=Feuer |first=Tom |title=2023 Volleyball Hall class includes Phil Dalhausser, Larissa, Katsutoshi Nekoda, Yumilka Ruiz |access-date=August 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606151625/https://volleyballmag.com/2023-international-hall-of-fame-induction-class-052223/ |archive-date=June 6, 2023 |url-status=live }}

In 2023, Ruíz was inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame.{{Cite news |url=https://oncubanews.com/en/sports/yumilka-ruiz-up-to-the-sky-in-a-kite/ |date=June 16, 2023 |work=Oncubanews.com |last=Coll Untoria |first=Jorge Luis |title=Yumilka Ruiz, up to the sky in a kite |access-date=August 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230618120725/https://oncubanews.com/en/sports/yumilka-ruiz-up-to-the-sky-in-a-kite/ |archive-date=June 18, 2023 |url-status=live }}

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.{{cite news |url=https://www.sport-express.ru/newspaper/2005-02-19/7_15/|title=КУБИНСКИЙ КАРНАВАЛ В ПОДМОСКОВНОЙ ЛОБНЕ|trans-title=Cuban Carnival in the Moscow region|work=Sport Express|language=ru |date=February 19, 2005 |access-date=November 22, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230416195109/https://www.sport-express.ru/newspaper/2005-02-19/7_15/ |archive-date=April 16, 2023 |url-status=live }}

Ruíz retired in 2008 at age 30.{{cite web |url=http://www.granma.cu/granmad/2008/10/10/deportes/artic08.html |title=Yumilka Ruiz ratifica su retiro del deporte activo |trans-title=Yumilka Ruiz confirms her retirement from active sports |work=Granma |language=es |access-date=2010-02-21 |date=2008-10-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160918235428/https://www.granma.cu/granmad/2008/10/10/deportes/artic08.html |archive-date=September 18, 2016 |url-status=live }} At {{convert|1.79|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, she had a jump reach of {{convert|3.29|m|ftin|abbr=on}} at the peak of her career.{{Cite web |url=https://www.volleywood.net/volleyball-features/music-style/highest-spike-touches-w/ |website=Volleywood.net |title=Highest Spike Touches |date=November 3, 2012 |access-date=August 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105125946/https://www.volleywood.net/volleyball-features/music-style/highest-spike-touches-w/ |archive-date=November 5, 2012 |url-status=live }}

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.{{Cite web |url=https://www-old.cev.eu/PlayerDetails.aspx?TeamID=8763&SeasonID=0&SeasonType=&G=&PlayerID=17921 |website=European Volleyball Confederation |title=1 Yumilka Ruiz Luaces |access-date=August 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230826003146/https://www-old.cev.eu/PlayerDetails.aspx?TeamID=8763&SeasonID=0&SeasonType=&G=&PlayerID=17921 |archive-date=August 26, 2023 |url-status=live }} She retired in 2014.

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.{{cite news |url=http://www.cctv.com/english/20080821/107290.shtml |title=Four athletes elected to IOC Athletes' Commission, Chinese hurdler Liu fail to prevail |last=Qintu |first=Si |work=CCTV |agency=Xinhua |access-date=February 21, 2010 |date=August 21, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815000436/http://www.cctv.com/english/20080821/107290.shtml |archive-date=August 15, 2016 |url-status=live }}

Clubs

{{flagicon|ITA}} Medinex Reggio Calabria (1996–2000)
{{flagicon|CUB}} Ciudad Habana (2000–2006)
{{flagicon|RUS}} Uralochka-NTMK (2004–2005)
{{flagicon|CUB}} Camagüey (2006–2008)
{{flagicon|RUS}} Uralochka-NTMK (2012–2014)

Awards

=Individuals=

2002 Pan-American Cup "Most Valuable Player"
2002 World Championship "Best Scorer"
2003 NORCECA Championship "Most Valuable Player"
2004 FIVB World Grand Prix "Best Spiker"
2005 Pan-American Cup "Best Spiker"
2004-2005 Russian Super League "Most Valuable Player"

=Clubs=

1998 CEV Cup – 16px Runner-up, with Medinex Reggio Calabria
1999 Italian Cup – 16px Runner-up, with Medinex Reggio Calabria
1998-99 Italian Championship – 16px Runner-up, with Medinex Reggio Calabria
1999-00 Italian Championship – 16px Runner-up, with Medinex Reggio Calabria
2000 Italian Cup – 16px Champion, with Medinex Reggio Calabria
2000 Italian Super Cup – 16px Champion, with Medinex Reggio Calabria
2000 CEV Cup – 16px Champion, with Medinex Reggio Calabria
2004-05 Russian Super League – 16px Champion, with Uralochka-NTMK

References

External links

{{Olympics.com|yumilka-ruiz-luaces}}
{{Olympedia|52196}}
[http://www.fivb.org/EN/volleyball/competitions/WorldGrandPrix/2005/Teams/VB_PlayerDB_b.asp?Team=CUB&No=1 Yumilka Ruiz] at FIVB.org World Grand Prix 2005
{{CEV player}}
[https://women.volleybox.net/yumilka-ruiz-p2422 Volleybox.net profile]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20071105070206/http://www.uralochka-vc.narod.ru/e-ruiz.htm Uralochka-NTMK profile] (archived)
[https://web.archive.org/web/20110719164952/http://utenti.multimania.it/medinex2000/SchedaYumilka.htm Medinex profile] (archived)
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WflhFRiZHxo Yumilka Ruiz on the battle for volleyball gold at Sydney] (interview)