Photo from: Leila Barros FB page
If you’ve followed the volleyball scene in the year 2000 when the FIVB Grand Prix was held in Manila, one of the volleyball stars many Filipinos have swooned over was Leila Barros from Brazil.
Leila donned the number 8 jersey back then, which is probably the reason why many wanted to wear the number 8 jersey as well.
Fast-forward to 2018, Leila is in a different battlefield. It isn’t the volleyball court anymore as she just won a Senate seat in Brazil last week.
Leila is the first woman to represent the federal district of Brazil in the Senate.
The announcement was posted on Leila’s Facebook page.
Filipino volleyball player Charo Soriano who previously played for the Ateneo Lady Eagle was one of the Filipino fans inspired by Leila. She congratulated Leila with her Senate win through a Twitter post.
She was also the reason why I wanted to be No. 8 & why I wanted to play volleyball when I was in grade school. ?
Hoping your senatorial service inspires many young people to pursue their dreams and make this world a better place for the next generation ?❤️ #SenatorLeilaBarros https://t.co/xo3rDe68NC
— Charo Soriano (@itscharosoriano) October 8, 2018
Before becoming a senator, Leila served as the Secretary of State for Sports, Tourism, and Leisure in her hometown.
In the past, Leila was part of the team who won bronze in the 1996 Atlanta and 2000 Sydney Olympics.
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