Julia Ituma born to Nigerian parents in Milan in 2004
At just 18 Julia Ituma was touted as the next big thing to happen to Italian volley ball. But all that ended on Thursday at about 5.30am in far away Istanbul, the Turkish capital, when Julia’s body was found lifeless in the grounds of the Volley Hotel. She had fallen from the window of her sixth floor room she shared with a team mate.
Her Italian team Igor Gorgonzola Novara were lodged at the hotel. They had lost their semi-final Champions League match to the Istanbul side Eczacibasi Dynavit the previous evening.
The spot where Julia’s body was found
Julia was born in Milan to Nigerian parents in 2004, and started playing volley ball at the age of 11. She won gold with the Italian national team last year at the EuroVolley tournament. She also won the individual award as the Most Valuable Player, MVP.
Julia receives MVP award
The Italian volley ball family had been mourning the demise of Julia. Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reports that Ituma told her team mates and coach she was not feeling well and wrote “goodbye” in the team’s WhatsApp group.
Julia playing for the Italian national volley ball team
