José Roberto Guimarães is the only Brazilian coach to win an Olympic gold medal (Brazil men in Barcelona 1992). As a player, Guimaraes was twice South America champion in 1973 and '75 and finished seventh at the Montreal Olympics in 1976.

He started coaching in 1988 and in 1989-90 he was the Brazilian men's assistant coach under Bebeto de Freitas.

In 1991 his teams were second at the Women's Youth and Girls Junior World Championships, followed by gold medal success with the senior men’s team at the 1992 Olympics. He then won the World League in 1993 before finishing third at the 1994 World League and fifth at the World Championship in Greece.

In 1995 he finished second in the World League and third in the World Cup before finishing fifth at both the 1996 World League and the Olympic Games in Atlanta.

Now, in 2004, he has been in charge of the women’s national team for nearly a year, where he has taken the side to the silver medal and an Olympic qualification spot at the 2003 World Cup. Another Olympic gold will add the finishing touch.