Larissa França

Larissa França Maestrini is a Brazilian beach volleyball player recognized for her extensive career and numerous achievements in the sport, including multiple World Tour titles and Olympic medals. After officially transitioning to beach volleyball in 2001, Larissa França quickly established herself as a formidable force, securing a bronze medal at the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo and finishing third in the Brazilian domestic team rankings that same year. A pivotal period began in 2004 when she partnered with Juliana Felisberta, achieving their first FIVB World Tour gold medal at the Mallorca event. In 2005, the duo made history with their first victory over Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor at the Corona Mexico Open, also setting a FIVB World Tour record for single-season earnings with $409,750, culminating in their first FIVB Team of the Year and Tour Champions recognition.

França and Felisberta continued their dominant run, earning the FIVB Team of the Year and Tour Champions title seven times between 2005 and 2012. França herself was recognized for her technical prowess, receiving the prestigious FIVB Best Setter award an unprecedented ten times, including every year from 2006 to 2012. Together, they clinched gold medals at the 2007 and 2011 Pan American Games, secured a gold medal at the 2011 Beach Volleyball World Championships, and earned a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics. Following a brief retirement, França returned to the sport in 2014, forming a highly successful partnership with Talita Antunes.

She continues to remain engaged with the sport, actively participating in the AVP Tour in the United States and serving as an inspiration for the next generation of beach volleyball athletes.