The 8-ball individuals at the Dynamic Billard European Pool Championships 2018 in NH Conference Centre in Veldhoven, The Netehrlands, have been decided. Germany turned out to be the big winner of the day, taking 3 titles and a total of 10 medals in that one day only. This performance catapults team Germany to the top of the medal table after three of five events.
In the men’s division, Bahram Lotfy (DEN) defeated Konrad Juszczyszyn (POL) 8:2 in the final match. Lotfy seemed to be on fire throughout the whole tournament. His victims on his way to the final match include Alex Lely (NED), Mario He (AUT), Alexander Kazakis (GRE) and in the semi-final Mieszko Fortunski (POL). This impressive list of players got ousted by Lotfy who came to Veldhoven pretty unheralded and can be regarded as a real surprise winner. „I have been focussing a lot on my practice over the last year“, stated Lotfy after the final match. „I practice a lot with Niels (Feijen) and I also do mental training as in meditation“, Lotfy added. „I felt really comfortable throughout the whole competition and I’m looking forward to the 9-ball“.
Bahram Lotfy
Top 4 Men
1. Lotfy, Bahram DEN
2. Juszczyszyn, Konrad POL
3. Filler, Joshua GER
Fortunski, Mieszko POL
In the women’s division, Veronika Ivanovskaia (GER) took the title in a final match against Tamara Peeters-Rademakers (NED) with 6:3. Ivanovskaia literally played against the whole arena since the audience was packed with Peeters’ friends, Family and supporters. But also the German contingency managed to make some noise during the final match. The match for Gold was decided by Ivanovskaia playing more solid than Peeters. The German was a bit unlucky on her break shot but she did not commit any mistakes during the racks. Peeters missed too many shots and especially positions which in the end cost her the match. „I had a tough match against Tamara“, said Ivanovskaia after the final, „I could really feel the pressure from the audience.“ „My toughest matches in the whole event probably was against Oliwia (Czuprynska). At hill-hill, she pocketed the 8-ball and scratched. I won that match on pure luck. Maybe that gave me extra strength against Jasmin (Ouschan) in the semi-final“. Tamara Peeters-Rademakers stated: „I committed too many mistakes in the final match. I had such a great support from everyone here but Veronika simply played better than me tonight“, admitted Peeters-Rademakers.
Veronika Ivanovskaia
Top 4 Women
1. Ivanovskaia, Veronika GER
2. Peeters-Rademakers, Tamara NED
3. Schade, Vivien GER
Ouschan, Jasmin AUT
In the senior’s division, Reiner Wirsbitzki (GER) claimed the title against Sandor Tot (HUN) in the final with 7:1. Two times already this week, Tot has been the final destination for Wirsbitzki. In straight pool in the quarter-final and in 10-ball in the round of the last 16 players, Tot eliminated Wirsbitzki. Today in the final match, Wirsbitzki wanted payback time. And he received his revenge on Tot. Wirsbitzki played extremely solid and thrashed Tot 7:1 in a single-sided final match. Wirsbitzki has been a constant gold medallist in previous years in the senior’s division, but his last title in the individuals is as far back as 2015 when he won the title in straight pool in Sankt Johann im Pongau in Austria.
Reiner Wirsbitzki
Top 4 Seniors
1. Wirsbitzki, Reiner GER
2. Tot, Sandor HUN
3. Cerimagic, Dino BIH
Pereira, Manuel POR
In the „oldest“ division of the youth, the Under 23’s, Casper Matikainen (FIN) snatched the title with an 8:2 victory over Johannes Schmitt (GER). Matikainen pretty much dominated the Under 23 division since he eliminated most of the other favourite players one after the other. Kevin Schiller (GER), Vitaliy Patsura (UKR) and Samuel Santos (POR) are the guns Matikainen put to shame during the 8-ball individuals.
Casper Matikainen
Top 4 U23
1. Matikainen, Casper FIN
2. Schmitt, Johannes GER
3. Labutis, Pijus LTU
Santos, Samuel POR
In the Under 19’s, Christian Froehlich (GER) took his first medal on the European level ever, winning the division in the final match with 7:4 over teammate Alen Salic (GER). The two most contended medals in that division both went to the German team today.
Christian Fröhlich｜Photo Courtesy of EPBF/DK
Top 4 U19
1. Froehlich, Christian GER
2. Salic, Alen GER
3. Zielinski, Wiktor POL
Souto, Jonas ESP
In the Under 17’s, Ivan Galic (CRO) took the title against Ole-Kristian Rudshavn (NOR) with 6:4. Ivan Galic already took a medal this week in 10-ball, becoming the runner-up.
Ivan Galic｜Photo Courtesy of EPBF/DK
Top 4 U17
1. Galic, Ivan CRO
2. Rudshavn, Ole-Kristian NOR
3. Gangfløt, Emil-Andre NOR
Neuhausen, Moritz GER
In the girls’ division, Darya Siranchuk (UKR) won her first title against Palina Chernik (BLR) with 5:1. Siranchuk has already won three medals in the girls’ last year but no title yet. One silver medal and two bronze medals were her achievements in Leende in 2017. Siranchuk had to take the detour over the loser’s side this year in 8-ball since she lost in the winner’s qualification round 4:5 to Aleksandra Guleikova (RUS). Then, she managed to win against Cindy Keller (SUI) 5:0 and Alina Brummer (GER) 5:2 before she encountered Valeriia Trushevskaia. That match turned into a fierce battle. When the smoke settled, Siranchuk was the 5:4 winner in the semi-final. The final match was a more or less clear affair for Siranchuk.
Darya Siranchuk｜Photo Courtesy of EPBF/DK
Top 4 Girls
1. Siranchuk Darya UKR
2. Chernik, Palina BLR
3. Trushevskaia, Valerija RUS
Neuhausen, Maximiliana GER
In the ladies’ division, Barbara Bolfelli (ITA) overpowered Anja Hehre (GER) with 5:3 in the final match, winning her 4th European Champion title in the ladies’ division.
Barbara Bolfelli
Top 4 Ladies
1. Bolfelli, Barbara ITA
2. Hehre, Anja GER
3. Andersson, Ulrika SWE
Haeflinger, Ortenzia SUI
In the wheelchair division, Jouni Tahti (FIN) once more was the guy to beat. He eliminated Henrik Lasrsson (SWE) with 5:2 in the final match. This is the 35th medal for Tahti on European level and his 23rd title. What a domination from Tahti. Unfortunately, the day also saw some donwside. The wheelchair division produced one of the biggest upsets of the tournament so far. The athlete Kurt Deklerck (BEL) was given the black card and therefore disqualified from the whole European Championships and stripped from all his results. Deklerck was judged guilty for cheating in his matches in adding a greasy substance onto the cue ball during his match, manipulating the angles of the game. For that reason, there is only one Bronze Medal awarded in the wheelchair division today.
Jouni Tahti｜Photo Courtesy of EPBF/DK
Top 3 Wheelchair
1. Tahti, Jouni FIN
2. Larsson, Henrik SWE
3. Brajkovic, Matej SLO
Medal table after 3 of 5 events
This puts Team Germany clearly on top of the medal table after 3 of 5 events with the 9-ball individuals and the team competition coming up.
The Dynamic Billard European Pool Championships 2018 will commence tomorrow morning at 10:00 CET with matches in the team competition.
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