Free game
DUDELANGE - Three European championships in only three weeks resulted for Simon Blondeel in one gold, one silver and one bronze medal. The 16-year German talent (from June 4, 1999, living in Bochum) was the winner of the European championship free game for players under 17 in Dudelange, Luxembourg, this weekend. He defeated in the final match the Belgian Bryan Eelen 200-61 in two innings. The Frenchman Yohann Alderbonn and Dutchman Leon Dudink finished third.
Two weeks ago, Simon Blondeel played the European championship three cushion under 17 in Leuven where he took silver behind the Frenchman Maxime Panaia. And in the European championship free game on the match table, under 21, where Ondrej Hosek and Sam van Etten won gold and silver, Blondeel was third on the podium.
Simon Blondeel, son of Fabian Blondeel and the younger brother of Lukas, started as the big favourite for the title Dudelange: in 2015 he already won the European championships in Brandenburg, followed by the Frenchman Pierre Martory and Bryan Eelen. The German managed to remain unbeaten in his seven matches and finished two matches, including the final, in two innings.
The Belgian Bryan Eelen started with 59, Blondeel answered with 103 and took the lead. Then, the Belgian missed after two points and Blondeel could finish with 97. ,,I needed some fighting spirit, like in other matches in this tournament'', the German explained. ,,Before I had the balls in the right position, I scored many points in the middle of the table,as if I was playing balk-line. But eventually, I felt that my confidence was back, so, I could finish it off.''
With 33.33 as final average, Blondeel was not satisfied. ,,I played an average of 130 in a previous tournament, this was below my level. But, luckily I could win all my matches, using my character.''
Bryan Eelen finished second with twelve match points, the Frenchman Yohann Alderbonn and Dutchman Leon Dudink were third in the final ranking with eight match points.
Simon Blondeel had his most successful season last year, in 2015, with three German youth titles in free game and one in three cushion. At the European championships in Brandenburg he not only took the individual title in the free game, with DBC Bochum also the championship for teams with his brother Lukas and Tobias Bouerdick.
He practices in the billiardsroom of DBC Bochum, ten minutes by bike from his house. With his father and brother, Simon will play in a three-cushion team this year. In the months before the European championships in Dudelange, the youngest of the Blondeels followed four training sessions of the national coach, Wolfgang Zenkner. ,,They were primarily focused on three-cushion, but first of all, I want to grow further in free game and balk-line'', said Simon, who plays billiards since he was ten years old.
,,I want to be a more complete player in free game and balk-line, before I will concentrate mor on three cushion. In the European championship in Leuven, three weeks ago, I took up some experience in this discipline.'' That mental strength was an important weapon this weekend, where Bryan Eelen also remained unbeaten until the final match.
Simon Blondeel not only took the highest average (33.33), he also made the highest run (191).
The final ranking at the European championship free game under 17:
1 Simon Blondeel (Ger) 14-33.33-191
2 Bryan Eelen (Bel) 12-23.79-189
3 Yohann Alderbonn (Fra) 8-23.67-160
3 Leon Dudink (Neth) 8-16.21-179
5 Maxime Schreiner (Lux) 6-13.24-108
6 Kevin van Hees (Bel) 4-15.14-136
7 Nick Dudink (Neth) 2-8.17-132
8 Nino Coeckelbergs (Bel) 2-6.59-41.
Simon Blondeel in his final speech during the ceremony