MIES (Switzerland) – It’s the end of an era for Spanish 3x3 basketball. Two of the disciplines’s most influential figures, Sandra Ygueravide and Vega Gimeno, have officially announced their retirement from playing international 3x3 basketball competitions, bringing the curtain down on careers that helped define Spain’s rise on the global stage.
As one chapter closes, though, another begins.
The legendary duo will remain at the heart of the program they helped build. Ygueravide is set to take over as head coach of Spain’s women’s 3x3 basketball national team, while Gimeno will step into a leadership role as 3x3 basketball coordinator within the Federación Española de Baloncesto (FEB).
Golden partnership
For more than a decade, Ygueravide and Gimeno were the driving forces behind Spain’s emergence as a powerhouse in women’s 3x3 basketball.
Together, they built a legacy that includes:
🥈 FIBA 3x3 Olympic silver medal at Paris 2024
🥇 FIBA 3x3 Europe Cup titles in 2021 and 2024
🥈 FIBA 3x3 Europe Cup silver medals in 2019 and 2023
🥉 FIBA 3x3 Europe Cup bronze medal in 2025
🏆 Nine FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series tournament wins
Their chemistry, forged over years of competition across continents, became the foundation of a team that consistently delivered on the biggest stages.
"Only she (Sandra) knows the steps we've taken and everything we've overcome," Gimeno said. "We are family."
Built through summers, shaped by the journey
From the early days of 3x3 basketball to its rise as an Olympic discipline, both players were constants in Spain’s journey.
"There have been many summers dedicated to 3x3," Gimeno reflected. "Seeing it become an Olympic sport and being part of that journey fills me with emotion."
For Ygueravide, who once reached the pinnacle as the world No.1 player, the journey was about more than results.
"This is just a turning point in our adventure," she said. "Because 3x3 will always be in our lives."
Their careers were defined not just by medals, but by the growth of the game itself. They helped transform 3x3 basketball into a global, fast-rising discipline, especially on the women’s side.
Leaders on and off the court
Spain isn’t just saying goodbye to two players. It’s also welcoming two leaders into a new era.
Ygueravide, long considered the engine of Spain’s offense, now takes on the challenge of guiding the next generation as head coach, with her first major test coming at the FIBA 3x3 World Cup 2026 in Warsaw, Poland.
Gimeno, a powerful presence and emotional leader on the court, will now help shape the future of the discipline as FEB’s 3x3 basketball coordinator.
"You are part of the history of our 3x3 sport," said FEB president Elisa Aguilar. "A treasure of this sport and two of the people who know this discipline best."
Beyond medals
Throughout their collective tour of duty, Ygueravide and Gimeno didn’t just win. More importantly, they helped build.
They were pioneers of Spain’s 3x3 basketball movement, mentors to younger stars and ambassadors of a discipline that thrives on connection, intensity and global culture.
From packed city courts to the Olympic stage, their journey mirrored the rise of 3x3 basketball itself.
And while their playing days are over, their influence is far from finished.
Because for two icons of the half-court, the game doesn’t end here. It simply evolves.
FIBA