OSTRAVA - Young Turkish billiard player Burak Hashas (17) has lived up to his status as top favorite with the overall victory in the Longoni Next Gen Grand Prix in Ostrava, Czech Republic for players under 21. The final in this Grand Prix three-cushion was between two Turkish players. Burak Hashas defeated Selahattin Ozkul 35-26 in 30 innings and remained unbeaten in the tournament with a total of 14 match points.
The four-player final rounds was a battle between the two dominant European countries in three-cushion. The two Turks and later finalists faced Spaniards Daniel Sainz-Pardo and Marcos Morales.
Burak Hashas is already on his young age one of the most successful juniors in the history of three cushion. The Turk won the 2022 European title in Italy and is the reigning under-22 world champion, achieved in the Netherlands. Burak Hashas not only got the trophy for the winner, but also for the best overall average 1.305. German Amir Ibraimov shone with the best run of 9, Joeri Wilkowski was the youngest player of the tournament at 12.
Only the winner had an average score higher than 1. Just before this event, Burak Hashas had won a bronze medal at the Turkish senior championship.
The final ranking with the top eight:
1. Burak Hashas 14-1,305-7
2. Selahattin Ozkul 8-0.823-6
3. Daniel Sainz-Pardo 10-0.958-6
4. Marcos Morales 8-0.777-7
5. Amir Ibraimov 8-0.902-9
6. Joris van 't Zelrden 6-0.846-5
7. Georgios Tsokantas 6-0.666-7
8. Luca Philipoom 4-0.664-7
The next stage takes the U21s to Italy from February 16-18, 2024.
De twee Turkse finalisten Burak Hashas, rechts, en Selahattin Ozkul
De twee Turken en twee Spanjaarden voor het podium van de Grand Prix