Virna
Cristine Dantas Dias, 1.85 m and 79 kilos, was born in
Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, on August 31, 1971. First
child of Tarcísio Dias and Craminha Dantas, her
sisters are Vanessa and Virginia.
Dias started playing volleyball at 13-years-of-age in
Maria Auxiliadora School and since then she has never
looked back. After a few months she was invited by
club Bradesco to visit Rio de Janeiro and join the
club. Two years later she was included in the
Brazilian national youth team for the South American
Championship in Peru.

In 1991 she was invited to play in Italy for a season
before returning to Brazil, this time to play in
Riberao Preto club, Sao Paulo. She played very well
that season and coach Wadson Lima called her for the
first time to the main Brazilian national team.
In 1993 coach Bernardo Rezende took over the
responsibility of the women’s national team and gave
Virna more confidence, making her into one of
Brazil’s leading players as the green and gold
machine collected bronze at the Atlanta Games in 1996.
Since
then Vima has continued to be one of Brazil’s top
players having collected awards for the Best Scorer at
the 1996 World Grand Prix, the Best Player award at
the 1997 South
American Championship in Lima and more recently the
Best Attacker and Best Player awards at the 1999 World
Grand Prix.
Her
inspirational play has seen her play a significant
part in a number of Brazilian triumphs including the
South American Youth Champion in 1986, 88, the Junior
World Championships in 1989 in Peru, a silver medal at
the 1994 World Championship in Brazil, Grand Prix
Champions in 1994, 1996, 1998, silver medal in the
1995 World Cup, South American Champion in 1995, 1997,
bronze Olympic medal in Atlanta 96 and Sydney 2000,
fourth place at the 1998 World Championship in Japan,
PanAmerican champion in Winnipeg 1999, Brazilian
champion with Flamengo 2001 and Brazilian Champion
with BCN/OSA 2003.
Currently Vima has a contract with club MRV Minas for
the season 2003-2004.
In
her personal preferences, Virna likes Brazilian
actress Gloria Pires, also likes the Flinstones,
admires Zico (former football player), likes to read
the Bible before sleeping, prefers the banana (fruit)
and spaghetti with seafood. Her dream is to become an
Olympic champion.
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