BLANKENBERGE - Patrick Niessen with three victories and Eddy Leppens with two titles are the big winners at the Belgian championship in the classic games. Maarten Jansen, who excelled in the pre-rounds in free play and one cushion, missed out the finishing touch and lost two finals. Dylan Parent won the title at the juniors, Johan Grimon at the wheelchair players. Today, Sunday, is the climax in three cushion, in which Merckx, Caudron, Leppens, Forthomme and Peter Ceulemans are the favourites for gold.
The quarterfinals in three cushion start at 10:00 am
Eddy Merckx-Kurt Ceulemans
Roland Forthomme-Peter Ceulemans
Eddy Leppens-Frédéric Mottet
Frédéric Caudron-Steven van Acker.
Patrick Niessen grabbed his last title, after the victories in free game and 47/2, on Saturday in the final 71/2 match. He beat his main rival Eddy Leppens 250-26 in two innings with a run of 149. Maarten Janssen came on the podium as number three with a win over Philippe Deraes 250-172 in 4 (series 120).
Eddy Leppens took two gold medals: first in one cushion against Maarten Janssen with 150-96 in 16 innings, runs of 45 and 26. Martin Spoormans defeated Andy de Bondt for third place 150-92 in 30. The second victory for Leppens was in the 47/1 final in the final against Janssen. The score was 200-16 in 4 innings with a best run of 89 for Leppens. Niessen and Deraes played a draw, 200-200 in 9 innings.
The title in the juniors went to Dylan Parent in a thrilling final: Parent was the best by one point against Kevin van Hees: 30-29 in 47 innings.
Johan Grimon won the title in wheelchair billiards by beating Stefan Neyens, the other favourite, 20-13 in 25 innings (0.800 for the winner). Jean Mailleur finished third with a victory over Rudy Rousseau: 18-15 in 50.
Eddy Leppens, two gold medals.
The best players in classic games at the Multi's on stage of the one cushion discipline: Eddy Leppens (middle), Patrick Niessen (right) and Maarten Janssen (left)