2012 Olympic champion Brink heading back to the capital for Queen & King of the Court (QKOTC) London Showcase

The event at Canada Square, Canary Wharf E14 5AH brings a major international beach volleyball event back to the English capital for the first time since that memorable occasion 12 years ago in what promises to be a seminal moment for the sport in this country. 

Brink, who paired up with Jonas Reckermann to secure Olympic glory, is relishing his visit to London, where 20 international and British pairs (10 women, 10 men) will vie for QKOTC glory. 

The now 42-year-old hopes that the spectacular location and fact it is free to spectate (no ticket required) will make for big crowds and a grand occasion for what promises to be an exciting two days of fast-paced action.

“I am so much looking forward to come back to London,” said Julius. “We have just been in in Utrecht (for the QKOTC Crown Series event) and we want to use the energy created here to also infect the audience in London. 

“I like that QKOTC puts London back on the map. I am sure we will find a strong connection between QKOTC and the volleyball enthusiasts in London. 

“I know, for sure, people will remember the Olympic Games happening in the city not quite far from Canary Wharf back in 2012. Some friends have already called me wanting to come over, which is great and shows the interest. 

We will show London how good an event it is... and I am ready for it!” 

QKOTC London Showcase, which is being delivered by SideOut in partnership with Volleyball England, Sportworx and Action for Kids, will be contested on Friday evening and throughout the Saturday (full schedule here). 

Originally a popular training format, QKOTC has developed into an official new beach volleyball competition where the court is divided into a winning and challenging side, with points only scored on the queen/king side.

Instead of two teams, there are five duos playing simultaneously in an elimination game, and a break between rallies of just eight seconds ensures a fast and action-packed experience. 

Julius is eager to see how the British contingent of players who have been invited to compete will fare as they look to inspire the next generation of young players. 

He said: “There is definitely big potential for the sport and its players in the UK. 

There are already some hot irons in the fire like the Bello Brothers (Javier and Joaquin), (Issa) Batrane and (Freddie) Bialokoz, whose development has come from hard work. 

“All these players are super professional and make the best out of their situation. I have so much respect for them as you can see them getting better and better every season. 

“But I think this event has the potential to give an extra push (aside from those who are already competing at the top level). 

“There is great potential for beach volleyball like there was in Norway or Sweden. You can see what they have managed to deliver in the last Olympic cycles and shows what can be achieved.” 

Not surprisingly, London holds a special place in Julius’ heart as the the stage for what was the highlight of his career. 

Winning the Olympics came as something of a surprise given the fact that he and his team-mates were not considered favourites going into the event – underlining the unpredictable and exciting nature of the sport, which is even more the case in the QKOTC format. 

“London, and Horse Guards Parade, will always be my number one court when it comes to top Locations for me,” said Julius, who was also a World Championship gold medallist in 2009 in Stavanger, Norway and a European gold medallist in 2006 in, The Hague, The Netherlands. 

“I’ve been back a couple of times and the city gives me goosebumps every time I see it. I’ve even been to see my (football) team playing, the Hammers (West Ham United FC), in the Olympic Stadium. That was a special moment for me as well and London will always be in my heart. 

“I remember The Olympic Games in 2012 as being a dream come true. Jonas and I were really in the flow for those two weeks... something I had never experienced before. 

“The forecast and predictions for our team had not been good at the time, with problems such as injuries and a lack of confidence going into the tournament. 

“But then we turned that on its head and went out and won, which is why the sport is so interesting to watch and follow. I hope people turn out in force for this London event to see what I mean.” 

Click here to view the Queen & King of the Court home page for full details about the event. 

Images courtesy of DVV, FIVB and QKOTC