ANTALYA – It took a while before Peter Ceulemans, the new European champion, could speak to the press and the fans this late Saturday afternoon. The joy and emotions had barely subsided when the new Belgian star player had to play another match for the Belgian team. Along with Frédéric Caudron (the world champion), Peter Ceulemans, the European champion, is also the favorite for gold in the team tournament of course with Belgium. For a brief moment, there was time in between to call his grandfather, the famous champion Raymond. "He was proud, of course; he had really enjoyed my success," said Peter, after he was honored for his championship on a podium alongside Eddy Merckx, Tayfun Tasdemir, and Martin Horn. He himself could hardly believe it so far after the final. Peter Ceulemans: "It is incredible when you see what a traject I have made." "Beating Caudron, Merckx, Van Horn —all champions. I could make the difference with high runs at the right moments. That means I was also mentally very strong, besides playing well. You always have to keep believing in it, and that’s what I did."
The first major gold medal hung proudly around the neck of the new champion from the Ceulemans hegemony. His first European title, following successes in Belgium and podium finishes in the World Cups. When, was the big question, did he start believing that he could join the ranks of the greats of three-cushion billiards? Peter Ceulemans: "I became a first division player in Belgium at a young age, and I became European Junior Champion early on. It looked good for my future, but back then there was still a time when there was little to be earned in the World Cups. You would come home after an early elimination and haven't earned anything. That was the reason I started working and played fewer World Cups for a while. It only came back after Corona." He then started competing again and immediately achieved decent results. ‘’That is actually how I made a comeback in a few years.’’
Raymond Ceulemans, when asked for a reaction, also has a strong opinion on the matter. "We could see quite quickly that he had a wonderful style and was a great talent," Raymond assures. "Peter is tall, slender, stands wonderfully at the table, and has a beautiful style of play. I always pointed out to him that he had to be an example. Behavior is important at the table, I always told him. With the great players, everything depends on details. How you sit in your chair after a miss, for example. You will never see Caudron, Jaspers, Merckx, or Horn react badly to a miss. Fortunately, Peter has that as well. Being a nice figure at the table, always an example to others. That is how a top billiards player should be. And this old man knows it, doesn't he?’’
“The mission has been accomplished,” Peter said in his later comments. "I was able to fight back against Caudron with a big run and take the initiative. And against Merckx, that happened again just after the break. The progress is showing now. I have always kept training well, usually alone or with Bart, my little brother, who lives in the same street. And now, of course, we can play many tournaments and I can watch other great players to learn from."
The lifestyle doesn't change, with a family and a job alongside billiards. "I think he should keep doing what he’s doing now," Raymond makes clear to his grandson. "After all, he is already a bit of a semi-pro." Peter adds: "The feeling that you are constantly improving makes you stronger in every area. I have done a lot for that myself: sports training, physical, mental with a personal trainer. That is the only way you can improve."
Raymond: "Especially now, we see that he has taken a big step. That progress has been foreshadowed for a while, but now things are moving fast for him. And look who he beats here, all those big players. He played fantastically. And when I look ahead, the top players will only get better. We, in the past, laid the foundation for that, after all.’’
‘‘I was already close to the podium last year,’’ Peter realizes after that final step. ‘‘It’s not like I came here thinking: and now I have to win. But that is how it eventually turned out. Beating Caudron, Horn, and then also Merckx, who almost always wins in finals. It is incredible, the mission is accomplished.’’
Raymond: ‘‘I enjoyed your races at Kozoom, congratulations, boy. We are all very proud of that title.’