Flo
Hyman (USA)
The
unfortunate loss of a great player |
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Back when the USA was one of the
four best teams in the world, Flo Hyman was their main player. A
spectacular outside hitter, Flo played at the '82 World's in
Peru and was heavily favoured to take her team to the final
against Japan. But two underdogs rose to the occasion: China
defeating Japan in one semifinal, and Peru defeating the USA in
the other. For Flo Hyman, it was one of the most disappointing
upsets of her career. Two years later, however, Flo, |
Flo celebrates with her
teammates at the '84 Olympic final against China. She was the USA's
go-to hitter in a match that really was all China. Nevertheless, she
played her heart out to try to bring glory to her country.
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| Debbie
Green, Paula Weishoff, Sue Woodstra, Rita Crockett,
and Rose Magers obtained their revenge against Peru at the Olympic
semifinal in Los Angeles. They were then headed to the final
against China, whom they had beaten in pool play but who were
extremely determined to reverse their fortunes when the game got
down to the wire. And so it happened—China went on to defeat the
USA 3-0 and won the gold. Flo did all she could in that match, and
Debbie Greene went to her very often as the team's go-to hitter.
But in the end, the precise teamwork of the Chinese were too much
for the nervous USAmerican squad. |
| Flo was not only an
excellent player and team captain, she was very respected and
liked by her teammates. She was a good friend and an adorable
person off the court, which made it all the more painful when
she collapsed during a match for her club team in Japan on 24
January 1986. She was rushed to the hospital, only to find out
that she had died of Marfan Syndrome, a rare genetic disease
that Flo herself didn't know she had. Since then, Flo Hyman has
become a symbol for the USA of the ideal athlete: dedicated,
perseverant, patient, and courageous, and since 1987 the Women's
Sports Foundation has been giving one female athlete a year the
prestigious Flo Hyman Award.
Return
to the list of players
Flo
hits against China's Yang Xilan. [Photo: Rob Bresson, Volleyball
Monthly] >
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