As a professional volleyball player in Europe, she won dozens of trophies.
But Tiffany Abreu says that few sensations compare to being chosen as the Most Valuable Player of the match in her debut on Tuesday with a provincial team in Brazil, in a semi-empty stadium with leaky roofs.
"I was twice the Most Valuable Player in men's leagues. But this is something special for me," said Abreu, formerly known as Rodrigo, in an interview after the match. "Until recently, I didn't know if I would ever play volleyball again."
Abreu, 33, is the first transgender athlete in the Superliga, the top tournament in Brazilian women's volleyball. Her presence is expected to cause a stir in Brazil, a nation where there are still manifestations of violence against homosexuals and transgender people.
Her performance in her debut was remarkable. She contributed 25 points and was crucial in Volei Bauru's 3-1 victory over Pinheiros.
Abreu played in men's leagues in Brazil, Portugal, France, Indonesia, Spain, the Netherlands, and Belgium. Until 2012, when she decided to stop playing because she wanted to be a woman.
In Italy, she underwent hormonal treatment to control the levels of testosterone in her blood, had a sex-change operation, and changed her name on all her documents. It was then that she was told she could play again, as a woman.
"I took all the necessary steps when my agent told me I could play in the women's league. He knows the rules and says that other transgender athletes play in minor leagues. So I decided to play again," she said. "I am respecting the rules."
After completing her transition process, Abreu was authorized by the International Volleyball Federation to play with women in 2017.
In January 2016, the International Olympic Committee decided that "transgender athletes should be allowed to compete in the Olympic Games and other international competitions without undergoing sex-change operations."
"It is necessary to ensure, as far as possible, that athletes are not denied the opportunity to participate in sports competitions," the organization said.
This year, Abreu had played for a team in the Italian second division. She said she received expressions of support there but also faced many criticisms, from fans and even teammates. She decided to return to Brazil to be closer to her family, who live in the rural state of Goias, in central Brazil.
"Sometimes my mother calls me Rodrigo," Abreu commented in a television interview. "I never had to tell her anything, I just told her I was starting my transition. She loves me just like she always did."
Abreu never met her father.
The player trained for several months at the Baru stadium, 340 miles northwest of Sao Paulo. This month, she signed a contract with Volei Bauru, which finished the first half of the season in ninth place out of 12 teams. The top eight advance to the next phase.
Abreu says she hopes veteran national team coach Jose Roberto Guimaraes will take her to the Tokyo Olympics. "I know he is evaluating all of us. I want to be prepared if that opportunity arises," she said.
Guimaraes told the Estado de Sao Paulo newspaper that he sees no reason why Abreu could not be on the team if she earns the call-up.
"Tiffany is eligible to play in the Superliga, so there would be no problem in calling her up," said the three-time Olympic champion coach.
An eventual call-up may be resisted by fans and players. Former Olympic medalist Ana Paula believes Abreu should not play with women.
"It's not due to prejudice, it's due to physiology," she declared on her social media accounts. "Most players believe it's not fair for transgenders to play against women. Abreu's body was nourished with testosterone her whole life."
Bauru Volei's coach believes Abreu is a brave woman who doesn't have any special advantage.
"I met her a long time ago when she played with men," said Fernando Bonatto. "She was much stronger back then. She has lost a lot of power through her transition."
24-year-old fan Mariana Florenzani believes Abreu deserves to play among women.
"She is stronger than her rivals," she said. "But she has lost a lot of agility. She is not fast, and that levels the playing field."
"We cannot fight intolerance by being intolerant," she added.
Abreu says she ignores the criticisms and promises to work hard to improve as a player.
"To other transgender athletes, I tell them that they have to work hard because, if the harmonization is correct, the rules are on their side," she said. "And they also have the right to be happy."
JOS