Fourth placed finish for Bellos at Beach Pro Tour Challenge Nuvali

The tournament also saw fellow English pair Freddie Bialokoz and Issa Batrane gain some valuable experience in the last competition of 2023 for the two teams. 

Bialokoz and Batrane were the first in action as they went in the qualifying rounds, while the Bellos were already guaranteed a place in the main draw. 

The pair started well with a victory over the Filipino pair of Buytrago and Varga as a comfortable 2-0 victory (21-11, 21-12) set them up to play the Chinese duo of Wang and Li.  

Again, the English pair were in fine form and prevailed 21-15, 21-17 to book a place in the main draw, which was made up of six pools. 

They were placed in Pool A with the US pair of Evans and Budinger (ranked 21st in the world), Lithuania’s Stankevicius and Knasas (ranked 35th) and France’s Canet and Rotar (ranked 38th). 

This was always going to be a challenge for Bialokoz and Batran, with them ranking over 40 places below the French pair of Canet and Rotar, but they gave their all. 

After a 2-0 (21-18, 21-16) defeat to the Americans, they knew they would have to defeat the Lithuanian pair to stand any chance of progressing to the knockout round of 16.  

However, it was not to be this time, with the Eastern Europeans taking the game 2-0 (21-15, 21-15). 

The Bellos, meanwhile, were placed in Pool E alongside pairs from Canada, Portugal and Latvia.  

Their first match against the Samoilovs was a thriller, going to full three sets and containing some huge points. 

They clinched the first set 23-21 victory, but the Latvians struck back by edging the second set 26-24. 

However, the Bellos again showed their ability to thrive under pressure as they stepped up a gear to win the final set 15-10. 

With results in the pool going in the favour of the brothers, they still made it through to the last 16 despite a straight sets loss to Portugal duo Pedrosa and Campos.  

The Bellos next played French pair of Canet and Rotar who made it through from the group containing Bialokoz and Batrane. 

The English pair were generally in full control and both sets went their way, 21-14, 21-17).  

In the quarter-final against Evans and Bundinger (ranked 22 places above them) the Bellos were able to capitalise on the Americans’ 15 errors and took the match 2-0 (21-15, 21-17). 

A tricky semi-final against Austria’s Seidl and Pristauz saw them meet a team they had beaten in three sets in the last 16 at this summer’s EuroBeachVolley. 

However, on this occasion, it was the Austrians who held the edge, winning 21-13, 22-20 before going on to win the whole tournament. 

That left the pair going for another bronze medal, following on from that they had recently secured in Haikou, China. 

Standing in their way were Lithuanian pair of Stankevicius and Knasas, and the match started fast with some great points for both teams.  

The Lithuanians were able to claim the first set 23-21, but the Bellos led early in the second set and carried that momentum through to win it 21-17.  

The decisive tie-breaker saw the brothers, in their customary style, fight hard for every point, before they lost out 15-10.  

Despite this, the Bellos will no doubt reflect on a hugely-encouraging end to a successful 2023, with the promise of more to come in 2024. 

Photos: Kim Pauig