Aina Grimalt is only 16 years old, but she is already the captain and a true leader of the Chilean U19 national volleyball team. With volleyball running in her blood, the talented outside hitter is rising to be the next Grimalt star shining in Chilean sports.

The Grimalt cousins are a household name in the world of beach volleyball. Marco Grimalt & Esteban Grimalt are Chile’s most successful team in the sand – three-time Olympians, multiple medalists of world-level and continental-level competitions. But they are just the most famous of the large Grimalt family, many of whose members are or were involved in the sport of volleyball. Among them are the parents of Aina, who have introduced her to the favorite sport at a very young age and inspired her to enjoy and love the sport and take on a journey that seems to have a very bright outlook.

“We have a lot of volleyball in the family,” Aina Grimalt told fivb.com on the premises of the FIVB Volleyball Girls’ U19 World Championship in Serbia. “My dad plays, my mom plays, I really like volleyball and we talk about volleyball a lot in my house. They helped a lot in getting to know the world of volleyball. I started playing volleyball, when I was nine years old. All my life I have liked it so much! That makes it easy for me to play, enjoy it and be happy all the time.”

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She is another first cousin to Esteban and Marco as their dads are brothers, but unlike the well-known Olympians, she sticks to the classic indoor version of the game, like most of the rest of her extended family.

“I have tried beach volleyball, but I am really bad at it. Indoor volleyball is much more of a team sport. A team is like a family on the court and that’s so beautiful,” Aina explained her choice.

Yet, she looks up to her distinguished beach volleyball cousins.

“They help me maintain positive emotions, be happy and have a strong mind on the court,” she said.

Under Aina Grimalt’s captainship, the Chilean youth national team is unveiling its great potential on the court, despite the fact that they have not managed to win even a set in the three games played so far at the Trstenik hall near Vrnjacka Banja in Serbia. Competing as underdogs against very strong opponents, they refuse to assume the role of victims, face them as equals, put on a fight and take control of the game and the scoreboard for large periods of almost every set. Yet, something is still missing in their endeavors to celebrate some success.

“I think we need more concentration in the game. Our reception fails too many times. We make too many mistakes and that doesn’t help us in the game,” Aina commented.

Spearheading the Chilean offense, she was not only the team’s best scorer in each of the three games so far, but also a charismatic leader on the court.

“I am really proud to be the captain of Chile, because I have to be a leader on the court, be happy and positive all the time and help the team stay together in difficult moments,” Grimalt said. “And I am really proud of my team, because we are growing, we are improving our level…”

In club volleyball, Aina Grimalt plays for Boston College Santiago. Last season they triumphed as national champions of Chile, while she received the league’s Best Server individual award. She will continue to play for the same club next season, but she dreams of making a professional career abroad.

“My dream is to play professional volleyball abroad, in other countries, like in Europe, in Italy... It’s a big dream!” she said. “With the national team I hope to go to other world championships and play at a high level.”

2025 FIVB Volleyball Girls’ U19 World Championship: schedule and results
2025 FIVB Volleyball Girls’ U19 World Championship: current pool standings

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