Snooker
Crucible King to Ironman: Luca Brecel Sets His Sights on a New Challenge
World champion Luca Brecel sets his sights on becoming snooker's first Ironman, balancing his passion for fitness with his love for the game. The Belgian star eyes new challenges beyond the Crucible.
Image Credits: Tai Chengzhe/VCG via Getty Images
Former world champion Luca Brecel has astonishingly revealed he wants to become snooker’s first Iron Man.
The ‘Belgian Bullet’ blew away the field as he conquered the Crucible in stunning style last year.
Snooker’s First Ironman
Snooker’s 17-day Crucible marathon is a test of the mind as much as the body, but Brecel has now set his sights on an even bigger challenge.
The Ironman Triathlon consists of a 2.4-mile swim followed by a 112-mile cycle before concluding with a marathon run.
Brecel is famous for his eye-catching tattoos, most notably the ‘free bird’ slogan he proudly displays on his knuckles, and he says he would add to the collection with the Ironman monicker and would treasure the medal more dearly than his replica World Championship trophy.
World Title Win Well Behind Him
He told SportsBoom.com: “I'm really eying up an Ironman one day. I need to get a lot better and get in shape, but it's a big goal for me. That's the aim.”
“I'd definitely get the Ironman tattoo, one hundred per cent.”
“I'd keep the trophy and the medal or whatever you get as well, it would mean a lot to me. I'm not like that in snooker, but it would be an amazing achievement, so I'd keep that.”
The replica World Championship trophy has been in the basement somewhere for a long time, I've never really seen it. But this one I'd keep out definitely.
Luca Brecel
A Focus on Fitness
Brecel has always been a keen runner, but he’s also been clocking up the miles on the bike in his bid to get fit.
The 29-year-old piled on the pounds as he made the most of being world champion.
But he added: “I'm feeling the best I ever have in my life.”
“I'm trying to get in as good a shape as possible, I'm feeling better in myself because I'm losing weight as well and I'm trying to lose some more.”
“It's good for you mentally. I always used to run about three or four years ago.”
“I used to always reach zone two heart rate and now I'm trying to reach higher to really get the heart pumping.”
“I feel like it's working really well and I'm really looking forward to trying to get better every time.”
Rankings and the Future
Brecel’s ranking is due to plummet at the end of the season as the £500,000 he pocketed for winning the world title comes off his ranking.
Currently ranked sixth in the world, his provisional end of season ranking is way down in the 50s.
“I'm not worried about my ranking and losing the points from the World Championship at all,” insisted Brecel.
“I'd love to play Q School one day. I think that would be a good challenge.”
“I don't think I'll end up there if I start winning some games, so it doesn't matter.”
“I don't really play for that feeling of winning. I like playing, I like playing at home. I just try to play like I do at home. For me it's about enjoying the game and I'm doing that, that's very important.”
“I’m feeling good about my game, probably the best I’ve ever felt. It’s only September so there’s still so much time left this season.”
Shane is an experienced sports journalist with over a decade on the front line, covering everything from football to horse racing. A familiar face in the snooker pressroom, his work regularly appears in the Daily Mirror, Daily Express, and Daily Star, alongside SportsBoom.
While snooker is where many readers know him best, cricket is his true sporting passion, though he tends to keep that side of him separate from his professional beat.
A staunch traditionalist, he’s unlikely to share your enthusiasm if you believe The Hundred is the future of Test cricket.