Belgium’s breakthrough gold medal on the Beach Pro Tour changed plenty for Kyan Vercauteren. The result in Bhubaneswar brought confidence and a new level of expectation for the young Belgian blocker, but it also brought a clearer understanding of how life is at the top level of beach volleyball can be.
A few months after winning the Challenge event in India alongside Joppe Van Langendonck, the Belgian pair no longer enter tournaments wondering whether they belong at that level.
“I think it is a turning point where we are not trying to prove anymore, we could compete at that level,” Vercauteren said. “Our mindset entering a tournament completely shifted from questioning if we belong here to yes, we belong and we are here to compete.”
The victory in India came after a difficult 2025 season for the Belgian pair, who used the experience to better understand how they wanted to compete moving forward.
“What went through my mind was not just ‘we won’ but instead ‘we trusted the process’,” Vercauteren said as he reflected on the final moments in Bhubaneswar. “It wasn’t just about the medal. It was validation that we could play at a good level and that we can perform under pressure.”
“Last season we did not have a good season, but I think we learned a lot about each other and how we want to perform,” he added. “I think we could not imagine a better way to start this year.”
Kyan Vercauteren defends a ball as they competed last season in Brazil.
Seeded seventh in Bhubaneswar, Vercauteren and Van Langendonck completed a perfect 6-0 run and defeated top-seeded Czechs Jakub Sepka and Matyas Dzavoronok in straight sets in the final.
Competing more regularly against higher-ranked teams has also changed the way Vercauteren views the sport at the top level.
“The margins are indeed very small,” he said. “I think the most important mental shift is controlling the controllables. We have to control the errors we make, be patient and believe if we execute our plan the results will take care of themselves.”
Even with that patience, confidence remains essential.
“Of course, if we go to a game we have respect for our opponent, but our mindset has to be ‘we are gonna crush them’.”
Elite tournaments have shown him how little separates teams once they reach the later stages of events.
“At the Elite, everything looks more calculated and precise,” Vercauteren said. “There is a sort of calmness. The margins for error are also a big difference. There is zero room for mistakes at the elite level.”
Those experiences have also influenced the way he approaches competition personally.
“What I learned about myself as a competitor so far is that my consistency comes from my ability to stay both calm and aggressive at the same time,” he said. “I realised that I perform best when I am relaxed, but I have to manage it in a way that it will not turn into passiveness. So now I am working to compete with a calm but aggressive approach.”
That same mentality carries into matches against some of the world’s top teams.
“When I step onto the court, I bring a mindset of respect but no fear,” Vercauteren said. “I don’t step onto the court thinking we are underdogs, nor do I step on with arrogance.”
Instead, the focus stays on execution and patience during matches.
“My mindset is to execute our game plan as perfectly as possible,” he said. “They make unforced errors too, so just keep playing and do the best I can.”
Much of the Belgian pair’s progress has come through repetitive training and long hours without the same structure available in some of beach volleyball’s more established countries.
“We had to train a lot alone or with two because we do not have any training partners in Belgium,” Vercauteren said. “We are happy that we can train in the Netherlands as much as possible and that we are welcome there.”
Kyan Vercauteren defends at the net against Argentina at the Beach Pro Tour Elite in Saquarema.
The work behind the scenes has often been repetitive and physically demanding.
“It was a lot of repetitions on our own, which can sometimes be boring,” he said. “We also made a lot of invisible hours in the gym to build our physical condition to a higher level.”
The demands of international beach volleyball have also brought sacrifices away from the court.
“I think the biggest sacrifice is time, especially the things you miss out on,” Vercauteren said. “Reaching this level or reaching the next level means skipping a Christmas dinner to catch a flight, missing out on a family vacation or not being able to see your friends a lot. But those are the sacrifices you make to reach the top.”
The partnership with Van Langendonck has evolved throughout that process, especially during difficult moments in matches.
“Our partnership has evolved quite well,” Vercauteren said. “I think we had to move beyond the point of just playing together and start trusting each other implicitly.”
Communicati
on has become one of the most important parts of their growth together.
“On the court, the evolution is learning how to communicate under pressure,” he said. “We know what the other one needs in a difficult situation and we try to help each other as much as possible. Also important, we know how the other one gets frustrated so we can adjust.”
Competing consistently at the top level, Vercauteren believes, requires much more than producing one strong tournament.
“Competing at the very top is not about having a single great game, it’s about sustainable excellence,” he said. “You have to embrace the boring repetitive work in the gym and on the court.”
“The mental game is the most important because at this level everybody can play some good beach volleyball,” he added. “The final part is about trust. You have to trust in your training, in the process, in your partner and in your coaching staff.”
Vercauteren and Van Langendonck continue to receive technical support through the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment programme under coach Rik Donckers as they continue building their place on the Beach Pro Tour.
Representing Belgium internationally has also become an important part of Vercauteren’s motivation as beach volleyball continues to grow in the country.
“It means we are carrying the flag for our sport,” he said. “We are not just playing for ourselves but also to inspire the next generation and help them fall in love with this game just like I did.”
He hopes younger players in Belgium can now see opportunities that once felt distant.
“I think it’s important for the youth to have a role model,” Vercauteren said. “I did not have many idols in my youth and with (Dries) Koekelkoren and (Tom) Van Walle quitting there was nobody anymore, so I really want to change that. I want kids to think, ‘if they can do it, maybe I can too’.”
Competing for medals at the top level remains one of his biggest goals, along with reaching the Olympic Games.
“Success on the Beach Pro Tour for me is to be competing at the Elite level for medals,” Vercauteren said. “To be an inspiration for the youth, not only the youth from Belgium but kids from all over the world.”
“And of course, making it to the Olympics is an absolute dream.”
