BRANDENBURG - He is twenty years young, born in Valencia, lives in Los Naranjos and played his second European championship three cushion in Brandenburg. The Spaniard Carlos Anguita, with his stylish black hairstyle and wonderful black beard, grabbed the gold medal at the EC for juniors on Sunday afternoon by a victory in the final over Frenchman Adrien Tachoire: 30-18 in 23 innings. The joy after he took the title was intense: ,,I'm so happy with this championship, it makes me so lucky...'', the 20 year Spaniard confessed in front of the camera.
The French former world champion, Adrien Tachoire, couldn't make true his ambitions in the final match. Anguita quickly took a 10-point lead (16-6) around the 12th, maintained that margin in the second part (19-10) and glorified to victory with two last runs of 4 and 5.
The reigning Spanish junior champion thereby took the most beautiful title in his still early career. Two years ago he finished third at the European championship, now he crowned his junior career with gold. ,,I would also be allowed to participate next year, but not if it is only held over two years.''
Carlos Anguita, successor to the Turk Berkay Karakurt, has been developed in the Spanish billiard school led by Jose Maria Quetglas. Jose Antonio Carrasco is his teacher. He enters the footsteps of many Spanish junior champions like Dani Sánchez, Javier Palazón, Ruben Legazpi, Antonio Ortiz, David Zapata, Andres Carrion, Xavier Yeste, Antonio Montes and David Martinez. Adrien Tachoire was the other contender for the title, but the Frenchman could not shine at all in the final. ,,I fully accept it, because that's billiards'', he commented. ,,The game sometimes does not run as you would like, you know that can happen, but okay... I'm happy with my second place.''
The two finalists opposed each other after three matches in the preliminaries, followed by the knockout phase with the quarterfinals, semi-final and final. Carlos Anguita beat the Turk Arda Güngör in the quarters (30-21 in 24) and his countryman Mario Mercader (30-20 in 31) in the semis. Adrie Tachoire bested Joey de Kok in the quarters (30-18 in 26) and Tobias Bouerdick in the semi-finals (30-22 in 24).
The final ranking:
1 Carlos Anguita, 1.153
2 Adrien Tachoire 1.068
3 Tobias Bouerdick 0.825
4 Mario Mercader 0.675
5 Arda Güngor 0.875
6 Jean Haby 0.769
7 Joey de Kok 0.692
8 Tom Löwe 0.558.
Carlos Anguita, the Spanish champion who now crowned himself to the European champion
Adrien Tachoire, the former world champion, who was not on his best in the final.