By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Twenty-one years ago, Brazilian volleyball star Leila Barros captured the hearts of the Filipinos with her beauty and mesmerizing eyes – not mention her thunderous spikes during intense action.
The magic, deep love and admiration remain strong until now and avid volleyball fans can still see and fell her aura of beauty and respectability.
Like the first time she visited the country as one of the exciting Brazilian players in the FIVB World Grand Prix Women’s Volleyball tournament held at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City, Barros was overwhelmed by the warm hospitality she received right upon her arrival on rainy Friday, Sept. 26.
“I have a lot of good memories here. I always say, we can leave sports, but sports don’t leave us,” said Barros through an interpreter after gracing the media on Saturday, Sept. 27.
Now approaching her 54th birthday on Tuesday, Sept. 30, Barrios was flooded with nostalgia as she entered the stadium, recalling the golden days of her athletic career.
“It felt natural. I remember those signs from Filipino fans saying, ‘Leila for President’. It felt as if they could see the future that someday, I would become a senator,” said Barros.
“I’m very surprised that even after so many years, I still get a lot of love from Filipino fans,” she added.
Back in the early 2000s, the Philippines experienced what was dubbed as “Leila Mania,” a time when women’s volleyball gained significant attention after the country hosted legs of the FIVB World Grand Prix in 2000 and 2004, a refreshing shift in a nation where basketball reigns supreme.
Reflecting on the two decades since her last visit, Barros noted the changes not only in her personal journey but also in the evolution of volleyball in both Brazil and the Philippines.
“The access to sports is not very different in the Philippines and Brazil and I can see that it’s both growing a lot. I can see that here, you’re also doing an effort to help promote sports,” said Barros.
“As a Senator, I was able to help improve and support a lot of things through sports. When I stopped playing (volleyball), I started helping people have access to sports and it’s something that came out naturally because sports really helped me a lot in life,” she added.
Now a wife and mother, Barros has become particularly involved in initiatives that focus on women and youth development.
“I always knew that as soon as I ended my career in sports, I would help give opportunities to women and young athletes to have access to sports. Not only sports create good athletes, but it also creates good citizens,” she said.
Barros also took time to meet with some of her loyal Filipino fans who were invited to the event, graciously posing for photos and signing autographs to express her gratitude for their support.
Yes, like a magnet, Barros still drew massive attention.
