Bellos finish runners up at 2024 FISU World University Championships

Representing Great Britain at Botafogo Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the sixth seeded pair took on Philipp Huster and Maximilian Just of Germany in the bid to be the world’s champion student team. 

The Bellos went into the match with confidence, having dethroned reigning champions Joao Pedrosa and Hugo Campos of Portugal in three sets in their semi-final. 

The final match also went the distance, but despite taking the opener, the England pair were overhauled in the deciding set. 

It was the Germans who made the better start in a compelling first set, but a run of points for the Bellos midway through the set proved decisive, and they eventually ran out 21-18 winners in it. 

But some strong blocking from Huster and Just brought them back into the match in the second set as they claimed it 21-16 to set up decider. 

The Bellos fought hard to re-establish control, but the German ninth seeds used the momentum they had built up to run out 15-10 winners and lift the trophy. 

The brothers began the tournament with three wins out of three in Pool F, all in straight sets, proving too strong for teams from the USA, Hong Kong and Slovakia. 

Topping the pool handed them a round of 32 tie against Maliqi and Bajrami of Kosovo, which saw them triumph 21-10, 21-14. 

Next up, in the round of 16, another clinical performance saw Poles Lejawa and Beta swept aside 21-11, 21-16 before the quarter-finals saw French pair Genevieve Gardoque and Chouikh overcome 21-12, 21-19. 

That set up a tough-looking semi against past winners Pedrosa and Campos, which the Bellos took 15-11 in the third set, having exchanged the previous two (21-18, 19-21). 

And though the final was not to go their way, the London-based fair could nevertheless reflect on an excellent week’s work. 

Reflecting on their time in Brazil, the brothers said: “It was a long run to the final, winning seven matches in a row over four days, so we are really happy that we could get through a really stacked draw with lots of our regular opponents from the Beach Pro Tour. 

“This week was a big challenge and we are so happy to be bringing the silver medal home. We're eally proud to represent Great Britain and achieve another milestone for our country!”

Pics by CBDUBrasil/FISU Beach Sports