Mikaela Hestmann – choosing Brazil because of volleyball

Young hopeful confident at U19 Worlds after her rookie season in Brazilian Superliga.

Mikaela Hestmann Tierno is a prominent rising talent in Brazilian volleyball, currently showcasing her skills brightly at the FIVB Volleyball Girls’ U19 World Championship held in Serbia and Croatia. At just 17 years old, her deep love for volleyball fuels her aspiration to achieve every athlete’s ultimate dream: becoming an Olympic champion. In a significant way, it can be said that her commitment led her to prioritize volleyball over her family.

Born in Norway in 2007 to a Norwegian mother and a Brazilian father, Mikaela moved to Rio de Janeiro when she was only two months old. Growing up in a city like Rio naturally introduced her to volleyball. Initially, it was beach volleyball. Her older brothers played on Rio’s extensive beaches, and Mikaela joined them when she was around 10 years old.

Mikaela attacking during the 2025 U19 World Championship.

The 1.81m (approx. 5`11″) tall outside hitter shared, “I started playing volleyball in 2017. My brothers played beach volleyball. I am from Rio de Janeiro, and it’s very common there. So I started playing with them on the beach. Then I joined a club and started liking it more and more…”

Around four years ago, Mikaela’s mother and brothers decided to move back to Norway. However, the aspiring young player chose to remain in Brazil specifically for the sport.

She explained, “My whole life I lived in Brazil, but my family – my two brothers and my mother – moved to Norway in 2021. Only my father stayed in Brazil with me because I wanted to stay here to play volleyball.”

“I have always really loved doing sports. I’ve done almost everything I could. But I think I found myself in volleyball. I really liked the daily practicing and the whole group, the whole team feeling was really good for me, really comfortable. So I just liked it and kept going…”

Mikaela’s talent was recognized early. By age 14, she was already playing for Brazil in international U19 competitions, earning two continental silver medals in 2022, at the U19 Pan American Cup and the Girls’ U19 South American Championship. The following year, she participated in the 2023 U19 World Championship. As she matured and gained experience, she became a consistent starter and an inspiring leader for the youth national team.

Mikaela Hestmann serving in Vrnjacka Banja.

Last summer marked significant success: she not only helped Brazil win the continental title at the U19 South American Championship but also earned the Most Valuable Player award, was selected for the Dream Team, and proved to be the best server of the tournament with 10 aces. Notably, Mikaela was Brazil’s top server during the pool stage at the current U19 World Championship, delivering an impressive six aces in the match against hosts Serbia.

Her continued development did not go unnoticed. For the 2024-2025 season, she had the opportunity to make her debut in Brazil’s professional women’s Superliga, having been chosen by none other than volleyball legend Bernardo Rezende for his club team, Sesc RJ Flamengo in Rio de Janeiro.

Mikaela and teammates pay close attention to coach Mauricio`s instructions during a time-out.

“Oh, it was amazing!” she exclaimed about playing under Rezende. “I was playing with Bernardo. He and his assistant coaches are just the best I can think. Everything was really good. Bernardo was really a different coach. Mauricio (Thomas), our coach here, also worked with him, so they are really alike on the court, and it was easy for me to play with him too. The most important things I learned from Bernardo were maybe the team spirit and then the really, really hard work. Work is everything an athlete can do. I keep in mind that work is always going to make me more confident in myself. If I work hard and if I work well, I am going to play well.”

Regarding her future aspirations, Mikaela stated, “Of course, I want to be an Olympic champion. It’s a dream for every athlete. But I also want to win the Superliga with Bernardo and our team in Rio.”

Brazil secured victories in all of their first six matches at the U19 World Championship in Serbia, earning their place in the final stages of the competition held in Croatia.

The Brazilian team celebrating another win in Vrnjacka Banja.

“Everyone is really believing,” Mikaela commented on the team’s performance. “We are really confident at this championship, but we have in mind that the other teams are really strong and come from really hard matches. But it is what it is, so we just keep in mind that we need to do our best. I think I personally can still do much better, but I am trying not to be too hard on myself.”