ELLE ARTICLE

Volleyball player, Leila Goncalves de Barros was born and grew up in Brasilia. At 17, she left for Belo Horizonte to play for the Unisa Minas club, "I've always wanted to live there," Leila confesses, "Minas has been known for developing good athletes (Marcia Fu played for Minas)."

At present, Leila divides her time between Jundiai, in Sao Paulo, where she trains with the Leites Nestle team; Brasilia, where she visits her family, and Belo Horizonte where she lives with her husband.

Leila was introduced to volleyball when she was only 15 years old, at 17, she was already a part of the Brazilian selection. Christmas, New Year and Brazil's Carnivale were occasions that she missed out on. It was during these times that the Brazilian championships were held, the price she paid for her sport, "but happy moments like the Bronze medal in Atlanta and the Grand Prix of 1996 and 1998 more than made up for that," Leila counters.

Leila plans to stop playing for the National Selection after the Sydney Olympics and have a her own baby, but she wants to continue playing until she's 32 years old.

After the Olympics, she would devote her time to her family and start a business (probably a bakery). Her husband Luis Gustavo, a former swimmer, is more than relieved. They've been together for seven years but can only find time together during weekends. He's been able to control his jealousy whenever Leila is beseiged by fans, except for one time when a young male fan boldly kissed Leila.

Leila is a Brazilian through and through - a mixture of natives and colonizers. Her great-grandfather was Portugese, and her great-grandmother, an Indian. From this combination she inherited her almond-shaped eyes and a beauty that is more exotic than commonplace. Her nationalism also knows no bounds (despite the fact that she believes that Brazil offers no incentives for volleyball players like her), she swears that she's honored to bear the nation's flag, winning and losing for her country, an honor that contributes to her happiness.