Taismary Agüero
A revolutionary volleyball opposite who made history by winning major titles for two different national teams, Cuba and Italy, with her explosive power.
Born 1977 (age 49)·Italian volleyball player·Birthday: March 5·Generation X
Biography
Taismary Agüero's career is a unique tale of dual sporting citizenship and relentless competitive fire. She first announced herself to the world as a teenage phenom for Cuba, her devastating jump serve and attacking prowess helping the dominant Cuban women's team secure Olympic gold in Atlanta in 1996. After a period of international absence, she resurfaced in a stunning new context: having married an Italian coach and gained citizenship, she debuted for the Italian national team in 2007. Agüero didn't just participate; she became the offensive centerpiece, leading Italy to the 2007 World Cup title and being named MVP—a feat that cemented her singular place in volleyball history. Her club career was equally decorated, with multiple European Champions League titles, proving her elite status was transferable across any court in the world.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Taismary was born in 1977, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Taismary Was Born
The biggest hits of 1977
#1 Movie
Star Wars
Best Picture
Annie Hall
#1 TV Show
Happy Days
Taismary's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1977Born
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1982Started school
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1990Became a teenager
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Could drive
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1995Could vote
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Turned 21
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2007Turned 30
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 40
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 49 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won an Olympic gold medal with Cuba at the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta.
- Led Italy to victory at the 2007 FIVB World Cup, earning the tournament's Most Valuable Player award.
- Won multiple CEV Champions League titles with club teams like Sirio Perugia and Foppapedretti Bergamo.
- Is the only female player to win major world titles (Olympics, World Cup) representing two different national teams.
Did You Know?
She initially retired from the Cuban national team in 1998 at just 21 years old.
She became an Italian citizen through marriage to former volleyball player and coach Alessandro Fei.
She is known for her exceptionally powerful and difficult-to-receive jump serve.
“My serve is my signature, and I use it as a weapon.”
