• Submitted by: lena campos
• Sports
• 06 / 12 / 2012

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Cuba's attacker Wilfredo Leon, the youngest captain in Berlin dreams to lead his team to the olympics
At only 14y Cuba's attacker Wilfredo Leon played with the senior National team for the first time. It was during the 2008 Olympic qualification tournament in Düsseldorf, Germany and four years later before his 19th birth date he leads the Cuban team in Berlin as one of the youngest captains in the history of the sport.
 
 It is simply one of the historic volleyball phenomena and Leon entered the history as one of the best performing players during the 2010 FIVB World Championship in Italy when the 17y old boy led his emerging National team to the final and they got the silver medal after losing to Brazil. And now he is leading the Caribbean team in the FIVB World Olympic Qualification tournament in Berlin aiming to re qualify the Cubans to the Olympic Games for the first time since 2000.

 “I dream to lead my team to Olympics and thus we have to revenge Germany on Saturday to achieve my dreams and play at the Olympics in this young age. Four years ago we lost against Germany in a thrilling tiebreaker after we were leading 2-0,” Leon said ahead of their decisive match against host Germany in Berlin,”

 “I still remember that match, I was only 14 and few months and I was very sad when we lost that match because we missed the Olympic dream, but we need now to do it to London,”

 The promising star who was born in July 31, 1993 wants now to celebrate his 19th birthday in London if he led his team successfully in Berlin. It will be the third day of the volleyball competition there.

 “It will memorable birthday if we succeeded to do it to London. Olympic Games is the biggest sports event. It would be great to be there as player among all other world stars from different sports.

 Leon had become a captain for the Cuban team for the first time during the 2011 FIVB World League when he was only 17y and 9 months and it is a historic record in the volleyball history after the historic performance he played during the 2010 World Champs in Italy. Now at nearly 19 he played more than 100 International matches and this is another rare story.

 About his professional future in volleyball Leon said: “I play now to Santiago of Cuba in the local league but any offers to play to a major team in Europe or any other area in the world will be welcomed but I have to think well about my future after the Olympics.”

Source: FIVB.org