Miguel Ángel Martínez Palacios, 23 next October, a 202-centimeter Colombian opposite hitter, is the third new name on the Cisterna Volley roster. He was born in Carepa, in the department of Antioquia, and grew up there. At 16, he left his (small) hometown to move to the capital of Antioquia, Medellin, where volleyball is played at a higher level. It was the right choice, as the “city of eternal spring” marked the beginning of the career of “Amaranto,” the nickname printed on the jersey that Miguel Ángel Martínez Palacios wears when he takes to the court.
“Amaranto is my nickname. I was given it when I was still playing soccer, because of my resemblance to Colombian defender Luis Amaranto Perea. I liked it immediately, and after the first time I never abandoned it; for me, it’s now a lucky charm.”
His favorite number is 7. “But sometimes, when a teammate was already wearing it, I chose 17 as an alternative. Why do I love 7? Simple, I admire Cristiano Ronaldo. He’s an example of how a true athlete should behave, a true role model: mentality, discipline, and a constant desire to improve, always, despite having already won everything. For me, the number 7 represents character, hard work, and ambition.”
Amaranto, despite being only 22, has already worn numerous jerseys: from Medellin, he moved to Bucharest to play in the Romanian A1 league, then played in the German and Spanish Super Leagues.
