BOLA – Portugal resists with trio in European Pool (Billiards)
Sara Rocha, João Rocha, as well as ensured this Thursday the continuity of a trio of competitions from Portugal in the individual competitions of the ‘Ball 9’ European Pool Championships, a competition organized by the European Pool and Billiards (EPBF) and which will end on Saturday, the 12th of the current month, in Lasko (Slovenia).
Along the way, on the first of the three singles countries days of this pool discipline – the fourth and last, after the ‘Straight Pool’ (or ’14+1′), ‘Ball 10’ and ‘Ball 8’, with 97 male and 39 female athletes – constituted a Portuguese quartet, made up of Vânia Oliveira Franco, João Grilo, José Pedro Pereira and Américo Francisco.
João Sousa started this Thursday to beat the German Thorsten Hohmann (9-8), but a defeat against Croatian Daniel Maciol (5-9) threw the Portuguese player into the repechages, where he qualified for the final frame of 64 players, beating Slovenian Klemen Gradisnik 9-3.
Sousa plays on Friday morning, from 12 pm local time (minus one in mainland Portugal) the ’32nd’ against the Dutch Yannick Pongers. In turn, Miguel Silva beat Slovenian Matjaz Erculj 9-5. The Madeiran will also play the 32nd finals at 10:30 am local time (minus one in Lisbon) against Croatian Roberto Bartol.
Sara Rocha started this Thursday to beat Serbia Bojana Sarac by 7-4. They face on Friday at 9 am local time (one minus in mainland Portugal), against the German Pia Filler.
Eliminated were four from Portugal, from a heptet that started as evidence, this Thursday. João Grilo arrogance of Czech Tomasz Kaplan and lost (3-9). Among the losers, he faced the Swiss later Dimitri Jungo and said goodbye to the Europeans, when he lost (5-9).
José Pedro Pereira measured the strength with the Swedish Senarip lost in the ‘black’ (8-9). In the repechages, I measured strength with Jonas Souto and Nova also defeated the elimination (6)
As for Américo Francisco, he began the day to fight at the table with another Italian, Gianmarco Tonini, and was beaten (3-9). In the repechages, the Portuguese said goodbye after losing to the Swiss Michael Schneider in the ‘black’ (8-9).
In the women’s event, Vânia Oliveira Franco also yielded in the ‘black’ (8-9) against Slovenian Ana Gradisnik. The Viana native said goodbye to the ‘9 Ball’ and the individual competitions of these Europeans when she lost (5-7) against the Finnish Miia Virtonen.
Team discusses place in the semi-finals and medal against Norway (14 hours)
But on Friday afternoon (3 pm local time, minus one in mainland Portugal), Vânia Oliveira Franco and Sara Rocha, the National Team – two-time European champions, in 2018 and 2019, remember, stars in the highlight of the day, when facing the Norwegian victory, in a game in which it guarantees access to the semi-finals of the team competition, medal (‘bronze’ at least). On the other side, Line Kjorsvik and Nina Torvund.
After defeat against Poland (1-2) and victories against Rep. Czech (2-0), France (2-0) and Turkey (2-1), Portugal discusses access to the semi-finals of the competition by teams from the European Pool, which will be played soon after, still on Friday at the Hotel Thernana de Lasko, at 4 pm from mainland Portugal.
Poland and Germany are already in the ‘half’ and hopeful, coming out of the winners of the clashes between the Portuguese and the Norwegians, and Slovenia-Switzerland. The final will be at 19:30 from Lisbon, with Portugal hoping for a new Medal in the Euro, after Sara Rocha’s bronze in the individual event of ‘Ball 10’.