ANKARA - The most honored player in the current generation of top European players takes another shot at the title this Sunday. Swede Torbjörn Blomdahl, who is good for nine European golds in the post-Raymond Ceulemans era, eliminated Dutch coming-man Glenn Hofman 50-48 on Saturday, joining three other finalists at the European Championships in Ankara: Martin Horn Ruben Legazpi and Jeffrey Jorissen. The other three players never reached European gold before, Legazpi and Jorissen never even stood on the podium. Martin Horn first plays Jeffrey Jorissen on Sunday in the semi-finals at 11.00 Turkish time, Torbjörn Blomdahl faces Ruben Legazpi at 13.30.
Torbjörn Blomdahl is hunting for his tenth European title in the Turkish capital in a final field of four that lacks from the world's top 10 Dick Jaspers, Marco Zanetti, Eddy Merckx and Tayfun Tasdemir. That was the result of the coup by pre-named outsiders such as Glenn Hofman, Ruben Legazpi, Roland Forthomme and Ronny Lindemann. The last stunt could also have eliminated Blomdahl, but Glenn Hofman, revelation of the two European tournaments in Ankara, missed the decisive knock-out on the finish line.
The Dutchman, who also shone in the last two World Cups, showed his brilliant form in the European double-header. In the country team event, he pulled off five consecutive wins, including against Ruben Legazpi, Torbjörn Blomdahl and Martin Horn; in the invidual European championship, Hofman was the four times glorious winner including against Peter Ceulemans and Eddy Merckx. The finishing touch was missing because Blomdahl came back from a deficit on character and finally made the two winning points on a crucial 48-48 score.
The only sovereign winner in the quarter-finals was Jeffrey Jorissen, the Dutchman who has been struggling with his form for weeks and played far below his potential in the team tournaments for the World Championship and the European Championship. That same Jorissen grew above himself on Saturday with victories over Turk Berkay Karakurt (50-39 in 23, 2,173) and Spaniard Robinson Morales (50-35 in 24).
Torbjörn Blomdahl also escaped before his win over Hofman (50-48) in the previous round against Adrien Tachoire thanks to a better final shot 50-47. That keeps the Swede alone among the other top favorites with Martin Horn in contention.
Jeffrey Jorissen, world number 57, is the dark horse, Ruben Legazpi as number 25 a player who regularly scores in international events but has only won gold for Spain. The Spaniard beat Turk Basegmez in this tournament, but especially shone with a win against Dick Jaspers, whom he riantly eliminated 50-32 in 24 innings. Legazpi’s quarter-final against Jérémy Bury was a real thriller, in which the Frenchman lost his grip in a winning match point, after which Legazpi could strike and cheering went through the finish line.
Torbjörn Blomdahl, hunting for his 10th European title
Martin Horn, victory against strong Forthomme
Jeffrey Jorissen, the dark horse in the final field
Ruben Legazpi was the better of Jaspers and knocked down Bury in a thrilling finish