Carom
ANDERNOS - Most of the billiard players, interviewed by Kozoom, nominate Nelson Mandela, the South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, politician and philanthropist, who served as a President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999 and passed away on 5 December, as the personality of the year.
Korean player Dong Koong Kang, Greek Filippos Kasidokostas and Colombian Alexander Salazar are mentioned as the talents in 2013.
And the most touching wish for 2013 comes from Dong Koong Kang: ,,We (me and Suah) want to have a baby next year.''
The interviews and flashbacks (part 3):
KOZOOM/FB: Who was your personality of the year in general?
Torbjörn Blomdahl: ,,Nelson Mandela for what he went through and for what he achieved after he had spent 27 years in prison.''
Murat Tüzül: ,,Bill Gates... He declared that he will donate all his wealth till he drops out of top hundred of richest people in the world.''
Josep Maria Mas: ,,All the people who helped each other disinterestedly in some natural disasters/rail disaster (July 2013 in Spain).''
Frédéric Caudron: ,,Nelson Mandela, because when he passed away, the whole world was speaking about him.''
Sameh Sidhom: ,,Due to the current political situation in Egypt, I choose for the Egyptian minister of defense, Abdel Fatta el Sisi.''
Jérémy Bury: ,,I would say Nelson Mandela, because he was a major figure and one of the greatest man in the world. He was a symbol of unity and forgiveness, values to which I adhere.''
Jérôme Barbeillon: ,,Mr. Nelson Mandela.''
Kyung-Roul Kim: ,,Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees in MLB.''
Martin Horn: ,,Jupp Heynckes, who made the triple with Bayern München.''
Pierre Soumagne: ,,I think someone who did nothing but die this year, so Nelson Mandela. I have always been passionate by him and his actions during the apartheid. People who don't know his history, will know it now with all the documentaries coming soon.''
Ruben Legazpi: ,,Cristiano Ronaldo.''
Dani Sánchez: ,,Nelson Mandela.''
Nikos Polychronopoulos: ,,Alex Ferguson, the football manager who received the BBC Diamond Award.''
Murat Naci Coklu: ,,Nelson Mandela.''
Tayfun Tasdemir: ,,Nelson Mandela.''
Dong Koong Kang: ,,I started playing billiards at my early ages, so the most of my favourite people are all in billiards world. I have the greatest respect for Raymond Ceulemans.''
Eddy Leppens: ,,Nelson Mandella, who tried to make a better world for everybody.''
Julian Torres: ,,Rafael Nadal for his achievements in tennis this year.''
Glenn Hofman: ,,The Pope, who's a very special man.''
Daniel Campos Duarte: ,,Cristiano Ronaldo.''
KOZOOM/FB: Who is your talent of the year in three cushion?
Frédéric Caudron: ,,Colombian Alexander Salazar played a very nice world championship (3rd place).''
Torbjörn Blomdahl: ,,Although he's too old for being a talent, Eddy Leppens was the player who made the most progress. He climbed up to the world top this year.''
Jérémy Bury: ,,Difficult to say... I think Vietnamese player Tran was a kind of revelation this year. He reached the quarter finals in the Greek World Cup, only losing against the winner Torbjörn Blomdahl after penalty shots (40-40 in 18). And he also played the quarter finals in Hurghada beating me also after penalties: 40-40 in 21.''
Dong Koong Kang: ,,I would choose myself ;))).. no, I choose for Alexander Salazar from Colombia. It's a pity that such a strong player doesn't regularly play in the World Cups.''
Marco Zanetti: ,,Dong Koong Kang who won as first Korean a World Cup in his own country and then during the World championship in Antwerp played a marvellous 40 in 7.''
Martin Horn: ,,Glenn Hofman, because for me he improved the most.''
Daniel Campos Duarte: ,,Filippos Kasidokostas.''
Tayfun Tasdemir: ,,Filippos Kasidokostas.''
Eddy Leppens: ,,Tran Quyet Chien.''
Pierre Soumagne: ,,When you're talking about young talents, Glenn Hofman has made a very good progression.''
Tayfun Tasdemir: ,,Filippos Kasidokostas.''
Julian Torres: ,,Dong Koong Kang because I didn't know that guy, who already won a World Cup, was really playing that good. And Vietnam player Tran can be a really good player in the future.''
Josep Maria Mas: ,,Filippos Kasidokostas.''
Dani Sánchez: ,,Dong Koong Kang.''
Lütfi Cenet: ,,Filippos Kasidokostas.''
Jérôme Barbeillon: ,,Dong Koong Kang.''
Natsumi Higashiuchi: ,,Mr Blomdahl.''
Murat Naci Coklu: ,,Dong Koong Kang.''
Dick Jaspers: ,,Glenn Hofman
Ruben Legazpi: ,,Hwang from Korea and Ngo from Vietnam.''
Murat Tüzül: ,,Tolgahan Kiraz from Turkey.''
Glenn Hofman: ,,Dong Koong Kang.''
Nikos Polychronopoulos: ,,The junior world champion, Jose Garcia.''
Therese Klompenhouwer: ,,Jose Garcia and Omer Karakurt.''
KOZOOM/FB: What are your wishes for 2014 in billiards?
Frédéric Caudron: ,,Find many new organizers for beautiful billiard tournaments.''
Torbjörn Blomdahl: ,,That I can do better at the World championship in Korea. Three years in a row I was thrown out in the first round, I want to improve myself in this battle with the world top.''
Marco Zanetti: ,,More positive news and changes in the billiard world.''
Natsumi Higashiuchi: ,,I would like to do more practice, to do better and be able to play nice matches at the World championship in Greece.''
Sameh Sidhom: ,,I wish to regain my form and confidence to pave my way to the 16 best on the world ranking.''
Kyung-Roul Kim: ,,I would like to win the World championship in my own country.''
Eddy Merckx: ,,There are a lot of sponsors, who are in my mind when I think about next year.''
Dong Koong Kang: ,,Win a prize in the 2014 World championship.''
Murat Naci Coklu: ,,I wish that billiards will be more popular in the world and for players that they can earn some money.''
Dick Jaspers: ,,That I can win a big tournament.''
Dani Sánchez: ,,Better tournaments, but it will be difficult to make it better than the World championship in Antwerp.''
Martin Horn: ,,Still having fun with making each single carom.''
Ruben Legazpi: ,,I want to make steps forward and have fun in playing billiards. My goal is to climb some positions on the world ranking and play the world championship in Korea.''
Lütfi Cenet: ,,I wish a better ranking in the world.''
Nikos Polychronopoulos: ,,To come back in top twelve of the world.''
Jérôme Barbeillon: ,,Become the number 1 in France.''
Tayfun Tasdemir: ,,I wish to be in top 5 of the world ranking.''
Daniel Campos Duarte: ,,Good performance for the Mexican team with Alan Campos and Raymundo Munoz at the World championship for teams in Viersen, Mexico can play again in all the events, more records and for me in particular more top players who come to Billar total Mexico.''
Jérémy Bury: ,,My goal is to continue improving my game and find some new things in order to win an international tournament: World Cup or world championship.''
Josep Maria Mas: ,,My wishes are to continue enjoying in billiards and to be more competitive day by day.''
Murat Tüzül: ,,Especially I wish all the tournaments are organized in capitals, metropolises, so that billiards meets the spectators in 2014.''
Eddy Leppens: ,,That I win a big tournement, World Cup or World championship.''
Glenn Hofman: ,,A top 20 place in the world ranking.''
Pierre Soumagne: ,,I hope to continue improving my level in three cushion.''
Julian Torres: ,,I wish myself more training to be in a very good form for playing tournaments in general. And I hope to reach number 1 in Panamerican rankings and compete in World Cups with better results.''
Therese Klompenhouwer: ,,For myself winning the World championship in Athens and for everybody a lot of fun and progress (in any way) in billiards. And more attention for billiards''
KOZOOM/FB: What are your wishes for 2014 in general?
Dong Koong Kang: ,,We (me and Suah) want to have a baby this year.''
Frédéric Caudron: ,,I hope to stay healthy and be able to keep playing and enjoy the game as long as possible.''
Murat Tüzül: ,,Stop wars! Those who lose all the wars are only the children...''
Torbjörn Blomdahl: ,,My wishes are for peace and good development in regions like Syria, Afganistan, Ukraine and Thailand.''
Marco Zanetti: ,,That we will play at least to 50 points instead of 40 points in all the official games of the UMB.''
Jérémy Bury: ,,I wish a world with less international and internal tension, where people wouldn't be afraid of others.''
Sameh Sidhom: ,,I wish to be successful in my profession as a dentist.''
Jérôme Barbeillon: ,,To feel great.''
Natsumi Higashiuchi: ,,I would like to enjoy every day.''
Ruben Legazpi: ,,I want to have stability with my girlfriend and of course, health for all people.''
Dani Sánchez: ,,Health for everybody.''
Tayfun Tasdemir: ,,I hope that all the fights will end caused by religions.''
Therese Klompenhouwer: ,,I wish everyone a great and sporty 2014, with good health and a lot of happiness.''
Josep Maria Mas: ,,Health for everybody!!''Julian Torres: ,,I think, most of all, being a better person, improve my English, keep on working with my family and hopefully I can also win tournaments.''
Dick Jaspers: ,,A good health, pleasure and success in billiards. And a super good friendship with my children.''
Daniel Campos Duarte: ,,Health and work for all the people.''
Pierre Soumagne: ,,I just wish to stay alive, it's enough, but very exhausting sometimes ''
Lütfi Cenet: ,,I wish all players good health and all the best for billiards in 2014.''
Martin Horn: ,,Healthy and still remaining authentic.''
Eddy Leppens: ,,That I have a healthy year with a lot of love, the rest will come automatically.''
Murat Naci Coklu: ,,I opened a new club and it's like a new page for me. I hope to be happy in my business.''
Glenn Hofman: ,,I hope my health is not getting worse in 2014.''
Nikos Polychronopoulos: ,,Only to be healthy.''