Sweden’s status as a beach volleyball powerhouse received its latest stamp of approval last year when their two men’s pairs clashed in the final of the 2025 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships held in Adelaide, Australia.
Widely known for its excellence in winter sports, Sweden was only the second country in history to have two pairs in the final of a senior World Championship in either gender. Beach volleyball super power Brazil is the only other nation to have achieved such a feat in the past; once in men’s competition and twice on the women’s side.
Reigning Olympic champions David Ahman & Jonatan Hellvig beat youngsters Jacob Holting Nilsson & Elmer Andersson in straight sets (25-23, 21-19) in the final to win Sweden’s first-ever title in the history of the World Championships in either gender.
Sweden’s David Ahman (left) & Jonatan Hellvig celebrate winning the 2025 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship title in Adelaide, Australia.
While the spotlight has shone on Ahman & Hellvig in recent times, Sweden’s remarkable rise in beach volleyball cannot be complete without the mention of coaches Anders Kristiansson and Rasmus Jonsson. The two coaches have revolutionized how beach volleyball is played and are the brains behind the jump-set technique which has made Ahman & Hellvig perennial title contenders in major international competitions.
“This is, of course, a very important part of our success, as it gives us much higher efficiency in side-out when we are able to create jump-set and second-ball situations. We started training this style of play at a very early stage, and our opponents at international youth championships had no idea how to defend against it. The same was true when we first entered the Beach Pro Tour,” Rasmus told FIVB.com.
“Nowadays, the top teams on the Beach Pro Tour are much better organized defensively. But if we manage to pass close to the net and create situations with two attackers against one blocker – and at the same time make the right decisions on when to attack on two and when to jump-set – we will always have an advantage over our opponents,” he added.
Sweden’s Jonatan Hellvig performs the jump-set during the 2025 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships held in Adelaide, Australia.
Beyond the jump-set, Ahman & Hellvig’s mental strength has also stood out in major competitions. Like in the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the Swedish jump-setters also lost two of their three matches in the pool stage of the World Championship before finding their way to the top of the podium.
“Losing matches in the group stage is not something you want, but if it happens you simply have to understand that the playoffs are a completely new tournament. We have a strong belief in ourselves and in what we are capable of doing on the court. As long as we stick to our ideas and execute what we’ve trained, we always give ourselves a strong chance in the next match. And so far, that approach has worked,” revealed Rasmus.
Sweden’s Jacob Holting Nilsson & Elmer Andersson celebrate with their coach Anders Kristiansson (left) during the 2025 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships held in Adelaide, Australia.
If Åhman & Hellvig are the present, then Jacob Holting Nilsson & Elmer Andersson are perhaps both the present and the future. The youthful duo arrived in Adelaide as seventh seeds but defied all odds to reach the final of a senior World Championship in their maiden appearance at this level.
With Andersson’s superb reception setting and Holting Nilsson’s unstoppable kills on two, they even went beyond jump-setting, almost rendering it unnecessary. Despite losing the final, the 20-year-old Holting Nilsson emerged top scorer with 25 points, further underlining his potential. Rasmus spoke glowingly of Holting Nilsson & Andersson, hinting that their best is yet to come.
“They will largely follow in Åhman and Hellvig’s footsteps. But of course, as a team – with four players and two coaches – we are constantly working on developing and refining our ideas and concepts to become even more effective. We always want to challenge what is possible on a beach volleyball court, but my guess is that progress will come in small steps, with the long-term goal of one day getting as close to perfection as possible,” offered Rasmus, himself a former Sweden international.
Sweden’s players and coaches celebrate their 1-2 podium finish at the 2025 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships held in Adelaide, Australia.
There is little time to rest the two Swedish pairs after their hugely successful 2025 season. Rasmus revealed that they will look to extend their rich form to the 2026 season with the Beach Pro Tour and European Championships on the cards.
“My coaching colleague Anders Kristiansson and I have already laid out a plan for what we want to improve in 2026. The key is to constantly challenge the players’ perception of what is possible. If we want to keep competing for medals over time, we have to continue improving – because our opponents certainly will,” asserted Rasmus.
