Melissa Humana-Paredes
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Beach Volleyball |
Meet Melissa
Melissa Humana-Paredes is a Beach Volleyball World Champion and has earned the nickname “Smilin’ Assassin” because her intensity on-court always comes with a smile. She made her Olympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games where she and her then-partner Sarah Pavan made it to the quarterfinals, matching Canada’s best-ever Olympic result in women’s beach volleyball.
Melissa formed a new partnership with Brandie Wilkerson, her former teammate at York University, in 2022, and the pair are currently ranked 3rd in the world and are on their journey to qualify for the Paris 2024 Games.
As a first-generation Canadian, Melissa was introduced to the sport of volleyball by her father at a young age and was immediately drawn to the atmosphere, beauty, and challenge of the game. Before immigrating to Canada, both her parents were athletes in Chile.
In her spare time, you can find Melissa at a concert or deep into her skincare routine and working to minimize her carbon footprint through her sustainable practices.
