Throw Valentina Gottardi into the deep end and rest assured that she will find her way up! While many youngsters would crack due to the demanding nature of high level competitions, Gottardi has proved to be the complete opposite. Since making her World Championship debut at only 19 years, Gottardi has grown into one of the most promising female beach volleyball players thanks to her confidence. It’s no surprise that she has now played at three World Championships and one Olympic Games (Paris 2024) at only 23 years.
“Confidence is fundamental. I have never lacked it in my career, but the foundations on which I build my confidence are changing. A couple of years back, I was confident thanks to my willingness to succeed, now the experience component is summing up,” Gottardi told FIVB.com.
Italy’s Valentina Gottardi dives to make a pass during the 2025 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship in Adelaide, Australia
Last season, Gottardi played with two new partners, Claudia Scampoli and Reka Orsi Toth, after her long time partner Marta Menegatti decided to take a break from professional beach volleyball.
“It was a unique experience winning a Challenge event (Yucatan) in Mexico with Claudia and an Elite16 (Hamburg stop) in Germany with Reka. The 2025 season was a long one, with the World Championship in Adelaide taking place in November. Consequently, the winter preparation will be shorter than usual,” recalled Gottardi, who also claimed silver in the Alanya Challenge with Reka.
“However, there was enough time to reflect on the past season and focus on the upcoming one, which I am approaching with the highest confidence ever. Stabilizing the program around Reka and I this year has surely elevated the volume and the work we need to do to enhance our team play,” noted Gottardi.
Italy’s Valentina Gottardi (right) and her partner Reka Orsi Toth celebrate after winning a match at the 2025 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship in Adelaide, Australia
According to Gottardi, the 2025 season would have been much better were it not for an injury suffered by Reka. It’s one of the major lessons that they are carrying into the new season by incorporating advanced strength and conditioning sessions into their training regime.
“Last season was jeopardized by a physical problem that occurred to Reka. Both of us have learned to be patient from that situation and to listen to the small signals that we receive from our body,” revealed the Modena motive.
“The conditioning part of our training, a blend of weight room and cardio on the sand, has only slightly changed. That’s because last year we felt at ease with our physical preparation. I live in the Olympic Training Center of Formia, just south of Rome. We have all that is needed to train in one place, including two super organized courts and three weight rooms.
“We work in micro cycles of 10 to 14 days, intervalled by a couple of days off. I would summarize the training week in 7 or 8 sessions on the sand plus another 3 weight sessions,” Gottardi breaks down her training routine.
“On the court, we have concentrated more on playing as a pair, in particular we’ve focused on the connection and understanding of each other. The perfect session is always the one where we have a lot of fun and motivate each other to improve,” she asserted.
Italy’s Valentina Gottardi (right) makes a pass as her partner Reka Orsi Toth looks on during the 2025 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship in Adelaide, Australia
In addition to the physical aspect, Gottardi reckons that mental strength will play a key role in their success in what promises to be a busy 2026 season with the European Championship planned for August in Stare Jablonki, Poland.
“The mental part in elite sport is very important. I am supported by a mental coach, but I also spend time on myself to focus mentally on my daily schedule and even more on my mid and long term journey,” explained Gottardi, who won silver in the 2024 European Championship with Marta. “The mindset remains the same, celebrate the victories and learn from the losses. Love the game and your team, respect the opponents, and entertain the public.”
Currently placed 9th on the World Rankings, Gottardi concedes that they have to keep up with the demands of modern beach volleyball to remain among the crème de la crème of the sport this season.
“The game is becoming faster, and second touch attacks are increasingly becoming common also in the women’s matches. The game is evolving and I want to contribute to this trend, but at the same time you do not have to forget to work on the fundamentals. I can say that I have been working on a good mix in preseason,” observed Gottardi.
Italy’s Valentina Gottardi in action during the 2025 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship in Adelaide, Australia
As one of the stars of The Azzurre, Gottardi’s ultimate goal is to wear the blue and white colours of Italy with pride on the sand and inspire the next generation of Italian beach volleyball players.
“Approaching the (Paris 2024) Olympics, Marta and I only played abroad. In 2025, I was able to play at home again. Reka and I played the final of the Italian championship in a wonderful atmosphere the week after our victory at the Hamburg Elite 16 tournament and the stadium was packed,” reminisced Gottardi.
“My goal is to bring amusement and joy to the Italian fans and to inspire young athletes to beach volleyball. It’s about leaving the spectators with something they will remember and creating an experience for them,” she underlined.
