BORDEAUX - The Swede Torbjörn Blomdahl, in his long career the winner of two UMB world titles, and Korean Dong Koong Kang, who was never in the final of a WC, play for the gold in Bordeaux. On the final day, Eddy Merckx and Dani Sánchez were eliminated in the semifinals.
Dani Sánchez played a rather mediocre match, by his standards, against Dong Koong Kang, Eddy Merckx had a 24-11 lead at halftime, but saw Blomdahl race past him in the second half of the match.
The Swedish winner of 42 World Cups used a crucial stage of the match to produce one of his feared scoring sprees. Runs of seven, six and five in the 14th, 15th and 16th inning turned the match around and gave him a 32-30 lead, eventually from Merckx leading 24-11 to Blomdahl's win 40-34.
,,I was unlucky at a few important moments" said Merckx later. ,,The table got a bit shorter, and that was really the first time it happened this week. And of course you know that when things start to march for Blomdahl, you are never going to see him again.''
The Swede has a serious chance at the world title, which he won for the last time in 1997 in Grubbenvorst. If he wins, he'll solidify his nr. 1 position on the ranking.
In the other semi, Dani Sánchez lost his chances in a stretch of fifteen inngs against Dong Koong Kang. Seven open innings, desperate looks and many badly hit shots gave his opponent ample opportunity to create a gap: first 21-14, then 34-16.
In the late part of the match, the Spaniard produced a few majestic points that woke up the spectators. People wondered if another miracle comeback was in the works. Runs of five and eight brought the score to 36-29, but it was all too little, too late. ,,My start was catastrophic, I was rightly punished for it'', said Sánchez after the Korean had finished with a four: 40-29 in 18.
The final is at 18.30.
Blomdahl-Kang.
Torbjörn Blomdahl after his winning point against Merckx