WE’RE PAST THE mid-point of the 2026 KAMUI European Youth Pool Championships with the medals in two disciplines determined and a further two to be played out as well as the Team events. The main focus has been the continuation of the three 8-ball tournaments with the Under 19s at the last 16 stage, the Under 17s at Losers’ Qualification followed by the last 32 and the Girls’ event at Losers’ Round 3, with four of the quarter-finalists already determined.
A player looking to add to the silver medal she won last year in 9-ball is Poland’s Julia Babica, who defeated Selina Scherrer 5-3 in a hard-fought battle to advance to the final eight. Babica was one match outside of the medals in the 10-ball and she managed to put that disappointment behind her.
She said, “It was a really tough match. She played really good and I also played good because I made a run out and almost made a clearance after her break. For me it was tough because of the heat and everything but it was a really nice experience to win that match.
“I’m more motivated to play and try to forget about the 10-ball and play my best in 8-ball and I will play my best going forward. I think it’s more about experience and I have more experience now. I can play in the arena, I feel more confident and it’s better for me now as I’ve experienced it two times already and with the medal I hope to get it again,” she added.
In the Boy’s Under 19s, the big match in the arena was 10-ball gold medallist Walter Laikre against Germany’s Fabrizio Ingrasci and it was the German who prevailed in a hill-hill classic. Ingrasci is chasing his first European title as a junior and showed where he is at by finishing in the last 16 at the Predator Luxembourg Open on the Euro Tour back in May.
Commented Fabrizio, “I mean I knew from the beginning that I had to play one of my best games because Walter is one of the best juniors in the world right now and I did and I’m happy with it. I feel very comfortable right now so why not? The Euro Tour showed me that hard work pays off finally and I just took that with me, so now it’s time to shine.”
Also chasing medals is Poland’s WPA World Junior Under 17 champion Jakub Chrobot who advance to the last 16 with a 7-3 win over Yoan Damyanov (Bulgaria). Chrobot, a silver medallist in this year’s straight pool event, has a clutch of EC medals to his name but just a single gold on his record and he’s looking to set the record straight.
He said, “I’m satisfied with my game and a medal in the first discipline is also what I wanted. I made it to the final but I didn’t get my chances so lost and in 10-ball I got to the last 32 where I didn’t play bad but not the best match but so far, I’m satisfied with my game and if I’m going to continue like this it’s going to be good.
“Well for sure, since winning the World Championship, I’m way more confident now and also, I’m more motivated for winning. I feel stronger and I also improved a lot in my game.
I think I’m prepared for every discipline – I don’t have a single favoured one so I’ll focus on the current one and try to play my best.”
Chrobot will have his hands full tomorrow with Norway’s Magnus Maprang Dahlø who advanced with a 7-2 win over Dominik Regieli (Poland). Dahlø is playing in his second European Championships and yesterday won a bronze medal in the 10-ball competition, having lost his opening game to countryman Joakim Langkas, before surging through the one-loss side all the way to the podium.
He said, “I feel it’s going good; I’ve adjusted to the tables so I think I’m going to play well.
I feel good and it was a little bit sad that I had to draw my team mate in the first round but it is what it is. It’s over what I expected coming from the losers side.
Commenting on the junior pool scene in his home country, Magnus said, “It’s like a season where there’s a series of 10 tournaments, five are open tournaments and the rest are if you’re qualified or not. I qualified for this through the junior Norwegian Championships so you have to do well there to get taken to the EC.”
Tomorrow, the 8-ball tournaments play down to the quarter-finals in the Under 19s and Girls and the Under 17s play to the last 16. The 9-ball events start tomorrow as well as the continuation of the Team’s events.
Tables 1, 2 and 3 at the Kamui European Youth Pool Championships are streamed throughout on YouTube, via the Pro Billiard TV channel -https://www.youtube.com/@ProBilliardTV
For all results, live scoring and draw, visit www.epbf.com/tournaments/european-championships/
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