Luca Brecel to try new sport away from snooker after slipping down world rankings

He’s previously been crowned the king of the Crucible, but now Luca Brecel wants to become an Ironman. ‘The Belgian Bullet’ has struggled for form since his remarkable World Championship win in 2023, failing to win an individual title since overcoming Mark Selby in the final in Sheffield.

Despite still being ranked sixth in the world rankings, the 29-year-old has endured a torrid 2023/24 campaign.

He’s currently listed 90th for prize money won this season, and rather than focus on an upturn in fortunes at the table, has now underlined his ambition to compete in another sport.

“I'm really eying up an Ironman one day,” he told sportsboom.com. “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 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.”

That vow may come as a surprise to snooker fans. During his fairytale charge to the world title, where Brecel also overcame Ronnie O’Sullivan, he openly admitted to staying out until the early hours to celebrate tournament wins.

However, he’s insisted that tackling a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile cycle ride, and 26.2-mile marathon run would be something he’d dedicate himself to. And it seems completing an event would mean more to him than receiving snooker’s most coveted global title.

“I’d definitely get the Ironman tattoo, one hundred per cent,” he added. “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.

“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.”

Brecel has even said he’d be prepared to lose his tour card and go back to qualifying school if it meant completing the triathlon challenge. But he also insisted he still had time to turn things around at the table before the season is out.

“For me it's about enjoying the game and I'm doing that, that's very important,” he said. “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.”

In 2023/24, Crewel’s best ranking tournament result was a quarter-final in the Welsh Open. He fared better in two non-ranking tournaments though, reaching the final of the Shanghai Masters and inaugural World Masters of Snooker in Riyadh.