Serginho highlights role of libero with Rio 2016 MVP award

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 22, 2016 – The role of a libero is a thankless job – but nonetheless one that has to be done, and has to be done well. The spotlight centres on the monster blocks and the massive spikes, but if it weren’t for liberos to set it all up, volleyball would be a poorer spectacle.Sergio Dutra Santos, better known as Serginho or Escadinha (‘the stepladder’), is a rare example where a libero’s role has been recognised and rewarded.Serginho celerates a point during Brazil’s Rio 2016 quarterfinal against Argentina.On Sunday afternoon, the closing day of the Olympic Games, Serginho was named Most Valuable Player of the Rio 2016 men’s volleyball tournament – the icing on the cake of Brazil’s remarkable gold medal.Although Serginho is no newcomer to MVP awards (in 2009 he became the first ever libero to receive the award in an FIVB World League and has also been MVP twice in South American Championships), this one was something special.Serginho receives his MVP award at the 2009 FIVB World League finals in Belgrade.It was Serginho’s fourth and last Olympic Games – a journey that began with gold in Athens 2004, continued with a couple of silver in Beijing 2008 and London 2012 and …

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