Adriana Behar

(1969 - )

Adriana Behar was born on February 14, 1969, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

One of world's top beach volletball players, Adriana Behar has paired with Shelda Bede since 1995 to become one of the most formidable teams in international competition. Adriana, who began playing volleyball as a teenager, moved to the beach in 1993 and since then, has won 29 of 81 international tournaments entered! Adriana has also finished second or third in another 28.

After finishing third at the 1997 World Championships, Behar and Bede won the 1998 Goodwill Games, and the 1999 Beach Volleyball World Championship. They are consistently the No. 1 or No. 2 seed in every tournament they enter.

In 2001, Behar and Bede won the World Championship, the Swiss Open, and the Spain Open, and finished ranked No. 1 in the world. In 2002, they ranked No. 2 in the world and captured the Japan Open title for the fifth straight year. Behar and Bede won the FIVB championship five times (1997-2001).

At the 2000 Sydney Olympics Behar was a member of Brazil's women's beach volleyball team that won the silver medal. In the 2004 Athens Olympics Behar teamed up with Bede in the beach volleyball event. The Brazilian duo defeated South Africans Leigh-Ann Naidoo and Julia Willand 21-17 in the first set, 21-10 in the second for a 42-17 score. They beat Lucilla Perrotta and Daniela Gattelli of Italy next, 42-34 in two hard fought sets. Behar and Bede continued their unbeaten run against Larrea Peraza and Fernandez Grasset of Cuba. The Brazilians won 42-33 and have topped preliminary pool B without dropping a set. Behar and Shelda finally dropped a set in their round of 16 match against Lina Yanchulova and Petia Lanchulova of Bulgaria but won 54-48 (18-21, 21-16, 15-11). The duo played compatriots Ana Paula and Sandra Pires in the quarterfinal and beat them 51-47 (21-15, 13-21, 15-13). Behar and Shelda guaranteed a medal as they secured victory over Australians Natalie Cook and Nicole Sanderson in the semifinals 42-33 (21-17, 21-16). The Brazilians were outplayed in the gold medal match by Americans Kerri Walsh and Misty May 42-28 (21-17, 21-11). They settled for their second Olympic silver medal.

Sources: Jews In Sports