A BOLA – Miguel Ruivo debuts Portugal at the European Championships in Albufeira (Snooker)
Miguel Ruivo, 16, is the first of 11 athletes from Portugal to take action, on Saturday, not the beginning of the 2021 European Snooker Championships, which starts on the 2nd with the U-18 division and will run until the end of the day. 17 at Hotel Vidamar, in Salgados (Albufeira)
In the competition organized by the European Billiards and Snooker Association (EBSA) and Portuguese Billiard Federation (FPB), the national player, Ericeira Snooker’s athlete, will – dictated the draw held this Friday -, compete in Group J with three other opponents , in games to the best of five ‘frames’ (from 3-0 to possible 3-2), with the first two classified qualifying for a phase to eliminate, the 16th of the final.
Miguel Ruivo, who presents as his business card 55 as the best ‘break’ in competition and 79 in training, will measure the frame at 12:00 (Table 1) with 18-year-old German Fabian Haken. Then, at 4 pm, Riley Powell, aged 13, is followed by Welshman Riley Powell, aged 13 (78 points for best entry in the competition, 123 for training) and Miguel Ruivo ends the day against Polish Witold Bystrzycki, aged 11 (25 best ‘ break ‘in proof, 56 most scored shot in practice).
“I have hopes and I’m ready to give my best, after three defeats at Euro-2020, even though I won a few frames. I’m ready to do my best to dignify myself, I’ve trained a lot, at the table, see », the athlete from the National Team, the first to debut at the 16 tables set up at Vidamar Resort Hotel (12 in a bigger room), told A BOLA three plus the ‘TV Table’, the main table) on the other.
Fans of the sport and participant watch the games in six formations, for now (10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 hours) free of charge, in the 163 places available (84 in one room and 79 in another), but always wearing a mask, according to the recommendations of the Directorate-General for Health. A competition that has been disputed annually since 1988, and that Portugal and the Salgados, for the second consecutive time (after 2020) receives. and organizes. A race where the Belgian Luca Brecel and the Northern Irishman Mark Allen, among others now professional stars of the sport, managed to be champions and thus reach the professional circuit.
Or is it not a sporting mega-event, with a total of 441 athletes from 44 different countries of the old continent, in addition to 42 pickers. Until the 17th, Salgados will consecrate, in the European ESC Online Snooker-2021: under-18, under-21, ‘Red Six’, Absolute, Women, Women’s Teams, Men’s Teams, Seniors (over 40 years old) and Senior Teams.
A ‘meeting’ with the players is scheduled for 9 am, and the start of games in Salgados, from morning to night and simultaneously at 16 tables, takes place at 10 am on Saturday, with the remaining contingent of athletes from Portugal to then enter into action in eight other races.