Arthur Bento Buczmiejuk has no problems standing out. After all, he is accustomed to playing with the big men even as a teenager.
Men's U21 World Championship 2023
Arthur Bento heading into a bright future
Meet Brazil’s future superstar with a penchant for coding
Published 05:12, 08 Jul 2023
At age 19, Arthur is already hitting big strides as captain of the Brazilian team competing at the 2023 FIVB Volleyball U21 Men’s World Championship and as one of the youngest members of the senior team at the 2023 Volleyball Nations League.
The youngster’s over two-metre frame and a hammer of an arm make him an unstoppable force from the attack line. Arthur has top-scored for Brazil on both matches, showing range and depth in his game. He has already collected a total of 16 attacks, four blocks and seven aces in the first two days of competition.
“Leadership doesn’t revolve on how many points I get on the court. So, I try to gather the team, lighten the load and not hinder their performance. They say I have good leadership qualities. I don’t really know what it is, so I am trying to work through it.” Arthur said.
“I’m very happy that we got this victory against Mexico. We struggled in the third set, so we must make some changes in the next match. I think if we do the same with Italy, it won’t go as well for us. I’m happy that everybody had a part in this match.”
He grew up with a lot of guidance and direction from the right people. Arthur’s father, Mauricio, was a former swimmer, and his mother, Adriana, a former volleyball athlete. He also shares the same passion as his younger sister Sophie.
“I actually started in Canada and lived there for 10 years before coming to Brazil. My mom asked me if I wanted to play one season of volleyball. I accepted it and got into it. I think this jumpstarted my love for the game. I was just 15 when I was playing for a U18 squad when I was in Canada,” Arthur narrated.
“I got the chance to come over to Minas Tenis Clube in 2019. That’s where I actually loved playing the sport. I got to play in their professional team only a year after that I have been on the court with them.”
Brazil coach Renan dal Zotto took notice of Arthur’s talent and was given the invitation to join the senior team at the 2023 VNL. This is an important thing for young man, playing with the finest volleyball athletes the country has ever produced.
“I had a lot of guys that I have played with in the club and the national team. I got the chance to play in the VNL and to be on the court with them. Guys like Lucarelli, Bruninho, Lucao, (Leandro) Vissotto and William Arjona. They helped me a lot throughout these years, and I aspire to be as great as they are and have the longevity that they have,” the outside hitter said.
Arthur may be too fierce inside the court, but outside of it, he has admitted to having a nerdy side.
“One of my hobbies is coding. I like to code stuff, like simple games. I’m quite proud of myself for that,” he shared.
“Maybe in the future I will go into something that revolves around programming, the Computer Science area. I really like games, but I don’t know if I would go that route. Who knows, we’ll see then.”
