On the sixth day of the CEB All-in-One Carom European Championships in Antalya, Türkiye, two gold medals were awarded, marking a significant moment in the tournament. The Spanish national team triumphed in artistic billiards, while Dutch player Raymund Swertz claimed victory in Cadre 47/2.
Artistic Billiards – National Teams
The day kicked off with the highly anticipated final in artistic billiards, featuring a showdown between Spain and the host nation, Türkiye. The atmosphere was electric, with many fans rallying behind local heroes Baris Cin and Haci Arap Yaman. However, the Spanish duo of Sergio Sanchez and Hector Cuadrado had other plans. They quickly asserted their dominance by winning the first set, setting the tone for the match.
Spain continued to build momentum, claiming the next two sets and ultimately securing the European Championship title. The victory was a testament to their skill and teamwork, showcasing their prowess in the sport. Meanwhile, the bronze medals were awarded to Germany and the Netherlands, with Germany’s Thomas Ahrens and Marvin Heinrich falling short against Spain in the semifinals, and the Netherlands’ René Dericks and Benny Smits being defeated by Türkiye.
Raymund Swertz and Cadre 47/2
In the Cadre 47/2 event, Raymund Swertz emerged as the new European Champion. His journey to the title was nothing short of remarkable. In the final against France’s Jean-François Florent, Swertz faced an early setback, scoring only three points before Florent launched an impressive run of 129 points. However, Swertz capitalized on a rare miss from Florent and began his own scoring spree, ultimately racking up an astounding 247 points to clinch the gold medal.
Florent, despite his valiant efforts, could only congratulate Swertz on his victory. Earlier in the tournament, defending champion Willy Gerimont also faced defeat at the hands of Swertz, losing 59–250 in the semifinals. Austrian player Michael Hikl joined Gerimont on the podium as a bronze medalist after losing to Florent in the semifinals.
3-Cushion Individual Competition
The individual 3-cushion competition saw 48 players competing in sixteen groups of three. The stakes were high, as group winners and the two best runners-up advanced to the knockout stage, where they faced off against 14 seeded players. Among the notable upsets was German U25 European Champion Amir Ibraimov, who, despite leading for much of the match, lost to Denmark’s Tommy Ebeling in a nail-biting finish.
In the round of 32, most seeded players advanced, but Turkish player Tolgahan Kiraz and Austria’s Arnim Kahofer were eliminated early. The highest run in the qualification round was achieved by Portugal’s Luis Pinto with 13 points, while Germany’s Tom Löwe recorded the best average of 2.352. As the tournament progressed to the knockout stage, Jean van Erp from the Netherlands produced the highest run with twelve points, while veteran Eddy Merckx from Belgium achieved an impressive average of 2.941.
Upcoming Matches
The excitement continues with the round of 16 draw set for 09:00, featuring matchups that promise to deliver thrilling action:
- Martin Horn – Birol Uymaz
- Glenn Hofman – Torbjörn Blomdahl
- Peter Ceulemans – Frédéric Caudron
- Sergio Jimenez – Jeremy Bury
- Tayfun Tasdemir – Sam van Etten
- Ruben Legazpi – Roland Forthomme
- Nikos Polychronopoulos – Berkay Karakurt
- Mikael Devogelaere – Eddy Merckx
For fans eager to catch all the action, a livestream is available covering all 24 tables. A paid service can be accessed at www.tv.kozoom.com for €9.99.
For more detailed results and discussions, you can visit the official forums at this link.
