Melissa Vargas Sets Unprecedented Record for Cuban Volleyball Players in Paris

Melissa Vargas, the Cuban volleyball star playing for Turkey at the Paris Olympics, delivered a stunning performance on Monday against the Netherlands, leading her team to a 3-2 victory. In this tie-break win, Vargas became the first Cuban volleyball player to score 30 or more points in an Olympic match, as reported by sports journalist Francys Romero.

Romero highlighted that Vargas, at 24 years old, is the thirteenth volleyball player globally to achieve this milestone in an Olympic match. Previously, the highest-scoring Cuban volleyball player in an Olympic game was Rosir Calderón, who scored 26 points on August 13, 2008, during the Beijing Olympics.

Challenging Match for Turkey

On Monday, Turkey overcame a difficult start, losing the first two sets before making a comeback, with Melissa Vargas playing a crucial role. Vargas scored 29 points through attacks and added one more with a block, significantly contributing to Turkey's victory. She scored six points in the first set, five in the second, seven in the third, nine in the fourth, and three points in the tie-break.

Melissa Vargas Shines Under a Different Flag

In just six years, Melissa Vargas, who has been living and playing in Turkey since 2018, went from being sanctioned by the Cuban Sports Federation to being named the world's best player in 2023. Originally from Cienfuegos, the young athlete had an outstanding 2023, achieving victories with the Tianjin club in the Chinese Super League and with Fenerbahçe in the Turkish League.

She also won a gold medal and the MVP award in the Nations League and repeated these feats in the European Championship, both times representing Turkey. Now, the national team, participating in the Olympics for the third time, hopes Vargas can finally lead them to the podium. She was called up to the team last year, a much-anticipated decision following her acquisition of Turkish citizenship in 2021.

Since her inclusion, the "Sultans of the Net" have improved their game, especially offensively. Vargas debuted with the Cuban national team at just 13 years old in 2013 and was named the standout player of the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games. At 15, she was permitted to play for the Czech Republic team VK Prostejov.

In 2016, she was sanctioned by Cuban authorities after suffering a shoulder injury that required surgery. Her parents disagreed with the recovery plan proposed by the Federation at the National Volleyball School and took her back to Cienfuegos. Consequently, the sports authorities demoted her, barring her from international competitions.

Later, Vargas faced another four-year ban from the Cuban Volleyball Federation for signing with the Swiss club Volero without the authorities' consent.