Bello brothers make history with sensational Elite 16 tournament victory in Rio
Brilliant Bello brothers, Javier and Joaquin, have tonight (10th November) made history by clinching a first ever BPT Elite 16 title by a British pairing after winning a pulsating and nail-biting final against Tomas and Nicolas Capograsso in Brazil.
The England pair came into the tournament as big outsiders to lift the winners’ trophy, given they had to win two tough matches just to reach the main draw.
But the duo – who train at Barns Elms Sports Centre on the banks of the river Thames in London – defied those odds to triumph in sensational style in Brazil.
In a final that swung first one way then the other, the British number ones displayed all their trademark grit and determination – plus no little amount of skill – to repeat their semi-final heroics of coming from a set down against the Argentines.
In a match littered with incredible points and heart-stopping rallies, it was obvious there would be little to choose between the two teams.
In the end, it came down to Joaquin missing a kill on the sideline, with the ball landing inches out, for the Capograsso brothers to take the first set 24-22.
The Bellos were 7-3 and 12-7 up in second but were then pegged back, before two consecutive Joaquin blocks at 16-16 looked to have put the English pair in control.
However, the Argentines overturned that advantage and looked set to secure the match, but the Bellos stayed in the hunt by saving match points when all looked lost.
And with the score having moved on to an incredible 28-28, two superb points, including another terrific Joaquin block, saw the level the match at 1-1, getting the crowd on their feet.
With the third set neck and neck, a break in play at 9-9 came when Joaquin needed medical assistance after being struck in the head by the ball.
But the stoppage had no effect on the concentration level and after being denied on their first match point, a Joaquin spike sealed the deal at the second attempt as the Bellos ran out 15-13 tie break winners.
After the match, Javier told VBTV: “I can tell you all four players were really tired. I was gone, and I needed Joaquin, and he came through – he's one of the best in the world.
“He took a blow to the head and everything, he’s an amazing player. I would just like to thank our family and everyone back home for their support.
Joaquin added: “At the beginning of the year we played a lot of Elites to try to qualify for the Olympics and we said we needed one win from those to do it.
“Well, it took a while, but we finally got it today.”
Earlier, the Bellos booked their final spot with a tremendous win over the 2024 Paris Olympics bronze medallists Anders Mol and Chistian Sorum.
The Norwegians took the first set 21-18 after pulling away in the second half of the set, leaving the London-based pair an uphill task.
But the Bellos bounced back quickly, opening up and early 10-4 lead and seeing off a late Mols/Sorum fightback to see out the set 21-18.
With all to play for in the third set, the Bellos rose to the occasion and, led by some brilliant blocking at the net by Joaquin, clinched the decider 15-12 to book their passage into the final.
In coming through the qualifiers, the brothers won seven matches in all, with their only other defeat coming against Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan of Qatar in the group stages.
The result means they have claimed a whopping 1,200 ranking points and are set to climb into the world’s top 16 on the back of this performance and also reaching the main draw in Joao Passoa.
