GOLDS FOR AUSTRIA, NORTHERN CYPRUS, POLAND & SWEDEN
Nov 8, 2021
Monday 8th November
DYNAMIC BILLIARD EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS 2021
Venezia Palace Hotel, Antalya, Turkey
8 BALL DIVISION
GOLDS FOR AUSTRIA, NORTHERN CYPRUS, POLAND & SWEDEN
INTO DAY EIGHT of the 2021 Dynamic Billiards European Championships inAntalya, Turkey and the destination of four gold medals was determinedin an intensive evening’s 8 ball play at the Venezia Palace Hotel. MarioHe seized the gold in the men’s, Oliwia Zalewska took the women’s,Henrik Larsson the Wheelchair division while Mustafa Alnar won anotherjunior gold for Northern Cyprus, this time in the Men’s U23 event.
In the 98 player Men’s division, 28 years old Mario He blocked FedorGorst’s path to his third gold medal of the championship in ahigh-quality final which the Austrian prevailed 8-5. There wasn’t muchto separate them in terms of play except a couple of dry breaks fromGorst in the critical stages of the match.
He had led through the opening stages before Gorst levelled it at 4-4and then ran from the break for a 5-4 lead. However, that was to be hislast score-worthy contribution to the game as a couple of unproductivebreak shots from the Russian gave He all the opportunity he needed toclose the match out.
It was He’s second 8 ball gold medal, the first coming in 2012 inLuxembourg but he had to dig deep to prevail following an arduousschedule of late.
He said, “The first gold was better as I was 18 and it was the biggesttournament that I’d ever won but still this year I played really good. Ihad three hill-hill matches which I just escaped on the good side to winthe match.
“It was a really long day and a really tough day and I had some toughopponents. I was playing good, got some rolls and everything was perfectand I’m now looking forward.
“I’ve been in the US for two months so had big jet lag but I had so manytournaments there, it was tough to stay motivated. The two days off weregood at the start of this championships and I played OK in the 10 ballbut I just felt a bit burned out. In the 8 ball though I played well andeverything went my way. I’m really happy to have won this gold medal,”he added.
Medals – Men
Gold – Mario He (AUT)Silver – Fedor Gorst (RUS)Bronze – Joshua Filler (GER) Roberto Bartol (SRB)
In the ladies’ division, Poland’s Oliwia Zalewska won her secondindividual gold medal to add to her straight pool gold from the 2013event in Slovenia. She defeated Belarussian Margarita Fefilova 6-2 inthe championship match.
It was another championship win for the talented Pole following hervictory in the same venue ten days earlier in the Predator Antalya Openon the Ladies Euro Tour.
The Polish lady went undefeated through the championship, winning twocritical hill-hill matches against eventual semi-finalist Nina Torvundand then her semi-final win over Spain’s straight pool silver medallistAmalia Matas.
Runner-up Margaret Fefilova was bounced to the one-loss side at thehands of Kristina Tkach but rallied well, taking down Monika Zabek, AnaGradisnik and 10 ball champion Eylull Kibaroglu en route to thesemi-finals where she beat Nina Torvund.
Oliwia said, “Actually winning the Euro Tour event gave me wings and Ibelieved in myself more but this is the second story. I felt so tiredafter a lot of matches in the Euro Tour that I couldn’t find myself inthe opening matches but finally the 8 ball came in for me and I found mystyle.
“I’ve been preparing for these for so many years and the switch between9 ball and 8 ball is not so much. I’m feeling totally delighted aboutthe gold medal on the Euro Tour and the gold medal today but it’s stillnot the end and I’m really looking forward to the 9 ball!”
Those two wins in Antalya will make Zalewska a formidable force when the9 ball championship commences on Tuesday morning.
Medals – Ladies
Gold – Oliwia Zalewska (POL)Silver – Margareta Fefilova (BLR)Bronze – Amalia Matas (ESP) Nina Torvund (NOR)
IN the Wheelchair division, it was two golds out of two for Sweden’sHenrik Larsson as he came back from a seemingly impossible position totake his fourth 8 ball gold medal and set himself on course for a cleansweep with the 9 ball yet to come.
His opponent was record-breaking Finnish shooter Jouni Tahti who foundhimself 4-0 up in the race-to-five final. With alternate break he hadevery chance to close the match out but giving up opportunities, Larssonslowly clawed his way back into the match before taking the decider foran extraordinary victory.
Commented Larsson, “Winning all three; it’s only been done by Jounibefore so that would be fantastic to be part of that crew.
“It was crazy. He totally had the game in his hands with a 4-0 lead andthen he started to give me chances and I took them and all of a sudden,we were hill hill. The only thing harder than pool is dying and I thinkhe had to experience a little bit of that today!” he added.
Medals – Wheelchair
Gold – Henrik Larsson (SWE)Silver – Jouni Tahti (FIN)Bronze – Danny Luton (GBR) Matej Brajkovic (SLO)
Finally, in the Men’s Under 23 division it was Turkish Cypriot MustafaAlnar who took the gold medal to add to the ones he has already won inprevious Under 17 and Under19 age categories. He defeated Germany’s LucaMenn 8-2 in the final.
With 20 runners, the standard was high with bronze medallist AleksaPecelj a runner at the previous Euro Tour event ten days ago. It’s fairto say that Alnar looks to be a major prospect for senior honours in thefuture.
He was naturally delighted with the win; “A big thanks to everyone! I’mreally so happy for this is, my first Under23 title. Next up is the 9ball tomorrow so be prepared as I’m coming for you!”
Medals – Men’s U23
Gold – Mustafa Alnar (NCYP)Silver – Luca Menn (GER)Bronze – Aleksa Pecelj (SRB) Ibrahim Vatansever (TUR)
All the matches can be viewed live at www.kozoom.com
Results, live scoring and draw are available at www.epbf.com
Luke Riches on behalf of the EPBF.