Walewska Moreira de Oliveira (1 October 1979 – 21 September 2023) was a Brazilian

volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...

player in three consecutive

Summer Olympics The Summer Olympic Games, also known as the Summer Olympics or the Games of the Olympiad, is a major international multi-sport event normally held once every four years. The inaugural Games took place in 1896 in Athens, then part of the King ...

, starting in 2000. She won a bronze medal with the women's national team in

Sydney, Australia Sydney is the capital city of the state of New South Wales and the most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about 80 km (50 mi) from the Pacific Ocean ...

, and a gold medal in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Walewska also claimed the gold medal at the

1999 Pan American Games The 1999 Pan American Games, officially the XIII Pan American Games () or the 13th Pan American Games and commonly known as Winnipeg 1999, were a major international multi-sport event that was held from July 23 to August 8, 1999, in Winnipeg, Ma ...

. Walewska Oliveira died in

São Paulo São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...

on 21 September 2023, at the age of 43.

Clubs

* MRV-Sugar/Minas (1997–1998) *

Rexona Rexona is an Australian deodorant and antiperspirant brand owned by the British- Dutch company Unilever. While marketed under the Rexona name in most countries, it is known as Rexena (; ) in Japan and South Korea, Sure in the United Kingd ...

(1998–2003) * Açucar União/São Caetano (2003–2004) * Sirio Perugia (2004–2007) *

Grupo 2002 Murcia Club Atlético Voleibol Murcia 2005, also known for sponsorship reason as ''Grupo 2002 Murcia'', was a Spanish volleyball club based in Murcia that played their home matches at the Pabellón Príncipe de Asturias. The team participated in the Wo ...

(2007–2008) *

VC Zarechie Odintsovo Zarechye-Odintsovo () is a Russian women's volleyball club based in Odintsovo. The club was founded in 1987 and plays in the Russian Women's Volleyball Super League, super league, the top Russian league. History The club was established in 1987. ...

(2008–2011) * Vôlei Futuro (2011–2012) * Vôlei Amil (2012–2014) *

Minas Tênis Clube Minas Tênis Clube (short, just ''Minas'') is a social, recreational and sports club from Belo Horizonte, Brazil. By 2013, it has more than 73,000 members. Its patrimony comprises two urban units, the Minas I and Minas II, and two country units, ...

(2014–2015) * Praia Clube (2015–2018) * Osasco Audax (2018–2019) * Praia Clube (2019–2022)

Awards

Individuals

* '' 2007 South American Championship – "Best Server"'' * '' 2008 FIVB World Grand Prix – "Best Blocker"'' * ''2015–16 Brazilian Superliga – "Best Spiker"'' * '' 2017 South American Club Championship – "Best Middle Blocker"''

Clubs

* 1999–00 Brazilian Superliga – Simple cup icon

Champion, with

* 2004–05 Italian League – Gorm silver cup

Runner-up, with

Pallavolo Sirio Perugia Pallavolo Sirio Perugia was an Italian women's volleyball club based in Perugia. The club had success at national and international level during the years it was active. Previous names Due to sponsorship, the club have competed under the followin ...

2005–06 CEV Champions League The 2005–06 CEV Champions League was the 47th edition of the highest level European volleyball club competition organised by the European Volleyball Confederation. League round Pool A Pool B Pool C Pool D Playoffs Playoff 12 ...

–

Champion, with Pallavolo Sirio Perugia * 2006–07 Italian League – Simple cup icon

Champion, with Pallavolo Sirio Perugia * 2008–09

Russian Super League The Russian Superleague (, ''Russian Championship Superleague''), commonly abbreviated as RSL, was the highest division of the main professional ice hockey league in Russia. It was considered the second-best league in the world, after the Nation ...

–

Runner-up, with Zarechye Odintsovo * 2009–10

–

Champion, with Zarechye Odintsovo * 2015–16 Brazilian Superliga – Gorm silver cup

Runner-up, with Dentil Praia Clube * 2017–18 Brazilian Superliga – Simple cup icon

Champion, with Dentil Praia Clube * 2020–21 Brazilian Superliga – Gorm silver cup

Runner-up, with Dentil Praia Clube * 2021–22 Brazilian Superliga – Gorm silver cup

Runner-up, with Dentil Praia Clube * 2017 South American Club Championship – Gorm silver cup

Runner-up, with Dentil Praia Clube * 2020 South American Club Championship – Gorm silver cup

Runner-up, with Dentil Praia Clube * 2021 South American Club Championship – Simple cup icon

Champion, with Dentil Praia Clube * 2022 South American Club Championship – Gorm silver cup

Runner-up, with Dentil Praia Clube

Death

Walewska died on the night of 21 September 2023 while travelling to São Paulo for the launch of her book. According to the Civil Police, who are investigating the circumstances, she fell from the 17th floor of a building in the

Jardins Jardins ( Portuguese for ''Gardens'') is the name given to an upper-class region of São Paulo city, which includes the neighbourhoods all comprised within the Subprefecture of Pinheiros: * Jardim Paulista - in the Jardim Paulista district * Jar ...

neighbourhood, west of central

. According to the document, the incident took place at 6:09 pm on that date. According to a police report obtained by the newspaper ''

O Tempo ''O Tempo'' is a Brazilian newspaper based in Contagem, in the Greater Belo Horizonte, state of Minas Gerais Minas Gerais () is one of the 27 federative units of Brazil, being the fourth largest state by area and the second largest in number ...

'', Walewska left a letter on the table in the leisure area, together with a bottle of wine with a glass, both half-full with wine, as well as a cellphone and a folder containing the letter, which was apparently a farewell message from her. Walewska's death is being investigated as a

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...

. Four death notes were found, each addressed towards someone, namely Walewska's parents, her brother, her friend and

best man A groomsman or usher is one of the male attendants to the groom in a wedding ceremony. Usually, the groom selects close friends and relatives to serve as groomsmen, and it is considered an honor to be selected. From his groomsmen, the groom usuall ...

Luiz Gustavo Del Maestro, and two friends from volleyball, coach Bernardinho and player

Virna Dias Virna Cristine Dantes Dias (born 31 August 1971) is a Brazilian retired volleyball player. She represented Brazil at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. There, she claimed the bronze medal with the Women's National Team. Dias also competed a ...

. Dias revealed that in her letter, Walewska wrote that the instigator for the suicide was discovering her husband had a child with another woman.Segredos revelados! Antes de morrer, jogadora Walewska deixou carta chocante de despedida
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References

External links

FIVB biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oliveira, Walewska 1979 births 2023 deaths Brazilian women's volleyball players Volleyball players at the 2000 Summer Olympics Volleyball players at the 2004 Summer Olympics Volleyball players at the 2008 Summer Olympics Volleyball players at the 1999 Pan American Games Volleyball players at the 2007 Pan American Games Olympic volleyball players for Brazil Olympic gold medalists for Brazil Olympic bronze medalists for Brazil Volleyball players from Belo Horizonte Brazilian people of Polish descent Olympic medalists in volleyball Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 2000 Summer Olympics Pan American Games gold medalists for Brazil Brazilian expatriate volleyball players in Spain Pan American Games gold medalists in volleyball Pan American Games volleyball players for Brazil Brazilian expatriate volleyball players in Italy Brazilian expatriate volleyball players in Russia Medalists at the 1999 Pan American Games Medalists at the 2007 Pan American Games 21st-century Brazilian sportswomen Middle blockers