Brilliant Brazilian walks away with top prize

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Number one! Bruno and Alison, here pictured after winning the Poreč Major, won four of the end-of-season awards between them.

What a summer it’s been for Bruno Oscar Schmidt! After winning the Swatch Beach Volleyball FIVB World Tour Finals in Toronto and the Olympic Games on home sand with teammate Alison Cerutti, the 30-year-old scooped three major end-of-season awards.

The FIVB’s annual post-season roll of honor saw Bruno named Most Outstanding Player, Best Defensive Player AND the coveted Sportsman of the Year, as voted by his fellow beach pros.

His breathtaking performances throughout a remarkable season on the sand did not go unnoticed by the panel of players, legends and officials and, by being named Most Outstanding Player, the Brazilian known as the Magician became only the fourth player in beach volleyball history to win the award two seasons running. Bruno will soon have to extend his trophy cabinet if he continues in the same rich vein of form next season.

Not to be outdone, Bruno’s teammate and fellow Olympic hero Alison did not end the season empty-handed – ‘The Mammoth’ was named Best Hitter for the third time in his career and the first time since 2012.

The celebrated duo were not the only Brazilians to be recognized in the awards. Gstaad Major champion and Swatch World Tour Finals runner-up Evandro Goncalves was named Best Server for the second year running, while the Best Rookie prize went the way of Gustavo Carvalhaes.

Meanwhile, for the seventh time in eight seasons, awesome American Phil Dalhausser, who won the smart Major Hamburg in June, was named Best Setter and Latvia’s A1 Major Klagenfurt champ Janis Smedins took the award for Best Offensive Player for the second time in his career.

Poland’s Piotr Kantor was voted the Most Improved Player. Together with partner Bartosz Losiak, 24-year-old Piotr was a model of consistency – in their last 21 tournaments they have only finished outside of the top 10 once – the Olympics in Rio.

Italian European champion and Olympic silver medalist Paolo Nicolai was named Best Blocker while legendary Dutch star Reinder Nummerdor was voted Most Inspirational Player. The 40-year-old competed at his fourth Olympic Games this summer – three in beach volleyball – before he decided to call time on a wonderful career after the extravaganza on the Copacabana.

Award winners:

Most Outstanding Player - Bruno Oscar Schmidt (Brazil)

Best Setter - Phil Dalhausser (USA)

Best Hitter - Alison Cerutti (Brazil)

Best Server - Evandro Gonçalves (Brazil)

Best Rookie - Gustavo Carvalhaes (Brazil)

Best Blocker - Paolo Nicolai (Italy)

Best Offensive Player - Janis Smedins (Latvia)

Best Defensive Player - Bruno Oscar Schmidt (Brazil)

Most Improved Player - Piotr Kantor (Poland)

Most Inspirational Player - Reinder Nummerdor (Netherlands)

Sportsman of the Year - Bruno Oscar Schmidt (Brazil)