Joël Despaigne Charles (born 2 July 1966), more commonly known as Joël Despaigne, is a retired volleyball player from Cuba who represented his native country in two consecutive Summer Olympics: the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona (fourth place) and the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta (sixth place).[1] He was the captain of the Cuban national volleyball team in the early 1990s.[2]
| Joël Despaigne | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Joël Despaigne Charles | ||
| Nickname | El Diablo | ||
| Born | 2 July 1966 Santiago de Cuba, Cuba | ||
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||
| Volleyball information | |||
| Position | Outside hitter | ||
| Number | 4 | ||
| National team | |||
| |||
Honours | |||
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Despaigne, known by his nickname "El Diablo" ("The Devil"), was considered among the best volleyball players in the world.[2] He was known for his jumping ability, with a vertical jump estimated to be around 40 inches (1.02 m).[3] He was a powerful spiker, with a spike speed of about 75 miles per hour (121 kph).[2] He had about 350 appearances with the Cuban national team.[4]
Despaigne led the Cuban team to the gold medal at the 1989 FIVB World Cup in Japan.[4] He also helped the Cuban team win the silver medal at the 1990 FIVB World Championship in Brazil,[1] and was named the best player in the world in 1990 by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB).[4] He then helped the Cuban team win the gold medal at the 1991 Pan American Games in Havana,[1] followed by the silver medal at the 1991 FIVB World Cup in Japan.[5]
Coaching
editDespaigne lives in Italy and works as a volleyball coach.[4]
Awards and accolades
editDespaigne was a torchbearer at the opening ceremony of the 1991 Pan American Games.[6]
In 2020, Despaigne won a Fair Play Menarini International Award in the category of "Fair Play" for his sportsmanship.[7]
Personal life
editDespaigne married María Teresa Santamaría, who was a member of the Cuban women's national volleyball team in the 1980s.[8]
References
edit- ^ a b c "Joël Despaigne". Olympedia. Archived from the original on 6 March 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ a b c Farrey, Tom (2 August 1990). "Cuba's Sultan Of Spike -- Some Hail Despaigne As World's Top Player". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on 28 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ Wilbon, Michael (15 August 1991). "Despaigne Leads Cuba to Volleyball Superiority". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 28 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ a b c d Damini, Egle. "Joël Despaigne: history and training of the devil from Cuba that made the volleyball world tremble". Technogym.com. Archived from the original on 28 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ "Player tournaments". Volleybox.net. Archived from the original on 8 April 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
- ^ Harvey, Randy (3 August 1991). "Pan American Games : Fervor Smooths the Rough Spots : Opening: Cubans' warmth after five years of struggle to complete the games' facilities helps offset the poor workmanship on display at some venues". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 6 September 2024. (subscription required)
- ^ "2020 Edition". Fair Play Menarini Foundation. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
- ^ Nack, William (22 July 1992). "Put-down Artist". Sports Illustrated. New York City: Time. Retrieved 2 February 2024. (subscription required)
External links
edit- Joël Despaigne at Olympics.com
- Joël Despaigne at WorldofVolley
- Joël Despaigne at Lega Pallavolo Serie A (in Italian)
- Joël Despaigne at Olympedia
- Volleybox.net profile
- Sports-reference.com profile (archived)
- Spike by Joel Despaigne (YouTube)
