Gabriela Guimaraes
Gabriela Guimaraes is a professional indoor volleyball player from Brazil, who plays the position of outside spiker and earned a silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. She received the MVP award at both the 2021/2022 Champions League and the 2021 South American Championships, in addition to being recognized as the Best outside hitter at the 2022/2023 Club World Championship. Gabi Guimaraes is also a silver medalist at the 2022 Poland/Netherlands World Championships and the 2017 Japan World Grand Champions Cup, as well as a three-time runner-up at the Nations League in Nanjing 2019, Rimini 2021, and Ankara 2022. Furthermore, she has been a champion three times in the World Grand Prix and three times in the South American Championship with the Brazilian national team.
At the club level, Gabriela Guimaraes has achieved victory in the Champions League on two occasions, the South American Club Championship five times, and the Club World Championship once.
Gabriela Guimaraes, also referred to as Gabi Guimaraes, was born on May 19, 1994, in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. She began her volleyball journey as a child and quickly showcased her skills, establishing herself as one of the most promising female volleyball players in Brazil.
Gabriela Guimaraes commenced her professional career in 2009 with the volleyball club Mackenzie/Cia do Terno, competing in the Brazilian Superliga. Although her team concluded the season in 11th place in the standings, she received a call-up to the Brazilian U18 national volleyball team, where she achieved gold at the South American Championship U18 in 2010.
In the subsequent season, her club improved to a 9th place finish in the Brazilian Superliga while also securing victory in the local Brazilian Superliga Mineiro Championship. Representing the junior national volleyball team, she participated in the World Championships U18 in 2011, where they finished in 6th place.
During the 2011/2012 season, Gabi Guimaraes continued her tenure with Mackenzie/Cia, achieving a 7th place finish in the Brazilian Superliga and a 2nd place finish in the Mineiro Championship. Nonetheless, she earned gold at the South American Championship U20 in 2012 and silver at the Pan-American Cup U23 in the same year. Additionally, she was selected for the Brazilian senior national volleyball team, where she won silver at both the Pan American Cup 2012 and the World Grand Prix 2012.
In 2012, Gabriela Guimaraes joined the runner-up of the Brazilian Superliga – Unilever Volei, which was subsequently renamed to Rexona-Sesc and later Sesc-RJ. She remained with the club for six seasons, during which she garnered numerous awards and tournament victories. In her inaugural season of 2012/2013 with the club, Unilever Volei triumphed in the Brazilian Superliga, the South American Club Championship, and the Carioca Championship. Additionally, throughout that season, Gabriela Guimaraes secured gold medals at the South American Championships and the World Grand Prix with the senior national team, along with a bronze medal at the 2013 U20 World Championships with the junior national team. Over the following five seasons, she achieved victory in the Brazilian Superliga four times (2013/2014, 2014/2015, 2015/2016, 2016/2017), the Carioca Championship four times (2013/2014, 2014/2015, 2015/2016, 2017/2018), the Brazilian Cup twice (2015/2016, 2016/2017), and the Brazilian Supercup three times (2015/2016, 2016/2017, 2017/2018), as well as the South American Club Championship in 2015/2016. She established herself as one of the premier Brazilian volleyball players, earning the MVP award at the South American Club Championship in 2016/2017, and being recognized as the Best Outside Hitter at the South American Club Championship in both 2014/2015 and 2015/2016.
In the international arena, Gabriela Guimaraes achieved remarkable success by securing the gold medal at the South American Championships in 2015, a silver medal at the USA Volleyball Cup in 2014, and another silver at the FIVB Grand Champions Cup in 2017, along with a bronze medal at the World Championships in 2014. Additionally, as a member of the Brazilian national team, she earned gold medals at the World Grand Prix in both 2014 and 2016, and participated in the Rio 2016 Olympics.
In 2018, Gabi Guimaraes joined Itambe/Minas, the reigning champion of the South American Club. During her sole season with the team, she accomplished a treble by winning the Brazilian Superliga, the Brazilian Cup, and successfully defending the title at the South American Club Championship. Itambe/Minas also claimed the Mineiro Championship and finished as the runner-up at the Club World Championship. Furthermore, she secured a silver medal at the Volleyball Nations League in 2019 with the Brazilian national team, as well as at the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Women’s Nations League.
In her third Olympic appearance at Paris 2024, Guimaraes took responsibility for the semifinal defeat against the United States, expressing that she had difficulty establishing her rhythm despite her strategic significance. However, she recovered to assist Brazil in securing the bronze medal against Turkey and earned recognition as one of the tournament’s Best Outside Spikers.
Gabriela Guimaraes photos
