Javier and Joaquin Bello's year in review

Having enjoyed a spectacular breakthrough year, the hope was that the London-based twins could scale even greater heights in 2025. 

But their hopes of pushing on have been dashed by time on the sidelines that has frustratingly hampered their progress. 

Despite that, though, England’s number one pair – ranked 31st in the world going into the festive season – are upbeat that things will change for the better in 2026. 

“We’ve had the most difficult season in our careers, with injuries that have tested us and made us adapt our plans,” said Joaquin. 

“Still, we managed to perform well at various points along the season, especially at the European Championships and the Challenge event in Nuvali (where they finished as runners-up). 

“We have also maintained a good ranking position to give us good opportunities next year.” 

Although disappointed they have not been able to play in more Beach Pro Tour tournaments, and be healthier for those events, Javier is phlegmatic about their setbacks. 

The pair’s defender (Joaquin is the blocker) spent a large chunk of spring and early summer recuperating from a knee injury that meant no game time between mid-April and late July.   

Javier said: “Of course, injuries have been frustrating, but we have learnt to deal with a new challenge that many other athletes also face, and it has shown us that we can still perform at a reasonable level despite the circumstances. 

“We have a lot of confidence that we will be able to build more momentum in the coming months, especially now that we have time to reset and follow our plan.”

Nevertheless, there have been some undoubted high points in 2025, regardless of what Javier and Joaquin have been forced to endure from an injury standpoint, including a first-ever World Championships appearance by an English male pair (in Adelaide in November).

They have also been boosted by the appointment of father Luis Bello as Volleyball England’s Performance Beach Coach, enabling them to access regular high-performance coaching. 

Javier added: “For sure, the most special moment was our first match back on court at the Europeans (in Dusseldörf) after a few months of rehab. 

“We managed to beat the Olympic silver medallists in a very emotional game, with our family on the stands and with a lot of love shared between us during the match. 

“We also had a period of six straight weeks on the road, which was really tough, but it ended with a very rewarding silver medal in Nuvali, one of our favourite events, where we have a great affinity with the fans and always receive incredible support. 

“Having to dig deep at multiple points in the season has brought us closer and strengthened our bond even more.” 

Another positive was climbing to 10th place in the world during the course of the year, as a result of ranking points accrued previously. 

It outlined just what the Londoners can achieve when they are fit and firing. 

“Being in the top 10 actually came as a surprise because it was during my injury break that a couple of teams slipped down the rankings and at first we didn’t realise,” said Javier. 

“It’s not something we look at often, but it made us really proud and is a great reflection of our consistent rise in the sport. Reaching new milestones like this for our country is something that deeply inspires and motivates us.” 

Another boost came at the end of November when the pair were able to play in front of their home fans for the Queen and King of the Court London event. 

Staged at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, it was the first tournament in the format to be played indoors – and the Bellos were delighted to be part of making that history. 

Joaquin said: “It’s so rewarding to be able to play in front of our home fans and the community that we grew up in. 

“At first we were not going to play, because it was straight off the back of World Champs and we both had some physical problems, but we didn’t want to miss the opportunity to contribute to a fantastic event and share a unique moment with everyone. 

“Next year will be even bigger, and hopefully we might also start hosting Beach Pro Tour events in the UK - it’s something that will be great for the sport and especially for the younger teams coming behind us who would benefit from more opportunities to compete.”

Looking forward, Javier and Joaquin already have goals in mind for their 2026 – and the prospect of qualifying for the LA 2028 Olympics remains a long-term target. 

“We are most looking forward to our fourth European Championships, in Poland, as well as competing in regular Pro Tour events,” said Joaquin. 

“We would love to be back in the top 10 by the end of next year, but we are more focused on the process, getting fully healthy and returning to the consistent training routine that has always been so important to our success. 

“We are lucky to be a team that loves the day-to-day work and all the milestones that make the road to the Olympics. While we obviously structure our plans with LA as a final goal, we are focused on each training week, each competition and each season one at a time.” 

Not surprisingly considering the injury travails of the past 12 months, staying fit is an obvious and clear priority too. 

Javier said: “Definitely our physical health is the main area we will focus on, at least in the first four to six months of the year. 

“We have to regain our capacity to train with high intensity and regularity, which is necessary to prepare ourselves for the highest level and extreme demands of the Pro Tour. 

“From there, we have a lot of technical and tactical elements that we can improve significantly, so we’re very excited.” 

Images by Conny Kurth and Beach Volleyball World 

Follow Javier and Joaquin Bello’s progress throughout 2026 on the Volleyball England social media channels.