ATHENS - The relase was great, the gladness was to read on his face. Glenn Hofmann grabbed his second European title for juniors in tree-cushion this afternoon in Athens in the final against David Martinez. The Dutchman won 3-0. The victory was not only delightful, also the average was from an undisputed high level. Hofman produced 45 caroms in only 19 innings, an average of 2.368. He won the first set 15-4 in 5, the second 15-5 in 6, was leading in the third 8-0 when Martinez fought back to 14-11, but then Hofman finished with four in the eight inning.
It was by far the best match of the tournament, for the 20-year-old Dutchman it couldn't have come at a better moment. ,,So far I only had played one match in the preliminary rounds at a high level, but I was never in problems'', he said after the ceremony.
,,My opponents couldn't threaten me until the final, but I knew I had to be better against David Martinez, because he is a real winner. The match went on very good for me from the start, but playing with such a high average, gives me a great feeling of course.''
The tournament in the Greek capital was his last European championship. The man who lives in Den Haag in Holland plays from 13 to 16 October another great tournament, the world championship for juniors in Guatemala. Just befor the Europeans he said: ,,My biggest goal is to be World champion, but I'm fully committed to this European championship too. I want to win titles, but in Guatemala it's my last chance to be World champion as a junior.'' That means Hofman in October has to dethrone the Korean Haeng Jik Kim.
The Dutchman also ended up with the highest tournament average in Athens: 1.308, David Martinez played 1098. Third was the German Dustin Jäschke with 0.874, fourth Ölmer Kurakurt with 0.794.
The further top eight: 5 Joao Ferreira (Portugal) 0.907, 6 David Zapata (Spain) 0.981, 7 Kenny Miatton (Belgium) 0.848, 8 Andy de Bondt (Belgium) 0.687.