Brazil's star Jaqueline says she is likely to stay in Volleyball when she eventually retires

Hamamatsu, Japan, October 30, 2010 - Brazilian star Jaqueline has made Volleyball her life since childhood, going so far as to marry fellow Brazil star Murilo Endres, last month’s Men’s World Championship Most Valuable Player (MVP). Now she has her work cut out to emulate one of her husband's most recent achievements.

“Since I was 14 years old I liked Volleyball and started playing this sport. I knew the young Volleyball player at that time, Murilo, and we became close friends," she said. "He was three years older and every day made our relationship stronger until we married last year. We celebrated our first wedding anniversary on October 22, just before the World Championship here in Japan."

“We spent happy moments after Murilo returned home with the 2010 World Championship trophy from Italy and now I’m dreaming of going back with the same trophy from here in Japan,” she said following the third day of the first-round Pool B action in Hamamatsu which saw Brazil secure a second-round ticket.
 
"When Jaqueline married she left the national team for some time and I know well that she wanted to concentrate on her private life for a while,” Brazil coach Jose Guimaraes said. “Jaqueline is one of those players who plays through her mind before the power of her hands on the court, so I admire her style and her passion within the team. When she asked to rest for some time I knew that she would find the best way to return to full power, and that’s what happened when she earned the Best Spiker trophy at this year’s World Grand Prix.”

The 26-year-old star has a special place in her house for her trophies, that include most competitions except the World Championship. Since 2000 she has helped Brazil rise to the top of the world rankings, picking up five World Grand Prix titles in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, an Olympic gold medal in Beijing in 2008 and five straight South American continental championships in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009. However, she is yet to win the World Championships. “I need the trophy from this competition to achieve the double in the same year at home,” she said.