Former Olympian Passes Away at 70

The sports world was saddened to learn this week that former Olympian Mercedes Pomares had passed away this week.

She was 70 years old.

Pomares was a legend on the volleyball court, an outside hitter for the Cuban squad.

A Legend is Gone

There were not many details of her death, with the report literally only saying that she had passed.

Born in 1954, she was known as “the golden left hand of Cuban volleyball” during her career.

She joined the Cuban national team in 1969 and played through the 1984 season.

Pomares was feared and respected on the court, earning the title of “best attacker” at the 1977 World Cup in Japan as well as the 1978 World Championships in the Soviet Union.

At 5’ 11”, she was a formidable figure in the 1970s volleyball scene, and it showed in the success of the Cuban team.

While Pomares was a three-time Olympian, participating in the 1972, 1976, and 1980 Summer Olympic Games, the Cubans never managed to break through for a medal.

This was rather shocking considering the international success of the team at the time.

For instance, Pomares won three gold medals at the Central American and Caribbean games, five gold medals at the Pan Am games, a gold medal at the Friendship Games, a silver medal at the FIVB World Coup, and a gold medal at the 1978 World Championships.

Shockingly, there is just not a lot of information out there other than her athletic accomplishments.

It is fitting, however, that she passed during the Olympics, a time of the year she surely loved.

Rest in peace.