Predator European Youth Pool Championships
Presented by European Pocket Billiard Federation
Terme Olimia, Podčetrtek, Slovenia
DOUBLE 10-BALL GOLD FOR LITHUANIA AS SWEDEN TAKE THE GIRLS
18th July 2025
THERE WAS DRAMA and tears as three more gold medals were won at the PREDATOR EUROPEAN Youth Pool Championships as the 10-ball division concluded in the glittering arena. There was an unheralded double gold for Lithuania as they triumphed in both the Under 17s and 19’s Boys events.
Firstly, Jokūbas Silantjevas prevailed 7-3 over Sweden Walter Laikre in the senior age group and then 14-year-old Ąžuolas Tadaravicius overcame Maks Benko (SLO) 6-5 when he’d looked dead and buried. In the Girls competition Sweden’s Linnea Hjalmarstrom collected her fourth European Championship gold, putting paid to Shirin Volery’s hopes by a 5-1 scoreline.
All three winners have booked their spot in the WPA World Junior Championships in Spain later in the year.
IN the Under 17’s, Tadaravicius gave up an early 3-1 lead to trail Maks Benko 5-4. The Slovenian straight pool gold medallist looked shell-shocked as he missed a tricky 10-ball for the championship that wobbled its way out of the pocket to throw Tadaravicius a lifeline.
It all came down to a deciding rack as the Lithuanian came back to the table with five balls left, but ran badly out of position with three left on the table. In an incredible display of nerveless potting, he dispatched the 8, 9 and 10 to carry off a glorious win.
Ąžuolas was thrilled as well as philosophical about his great victory, “I feel incredible. I feel like I’m in the cosmos right now I can’t believe it, I’m like sleeping. I can’t believe how Maks missed that 10-ball but God sent an angel to Maks and that happened. I just said to myself ‘Come on, you can do it’ and I said to myself that it should happen and I will win.
“At the end, all of my emotion through the match came out. Oh yes, I think this is the first time in history when two Lithuanian guys win the gold at the same time. As for the next events, I can’t say I’m confident and I can’t say I’m not confident. I’m just looking forward and trying to play my best game. I don’t care about the titles because I already made Lithuania proud!” he concluded.
His countryman, Jokūbas Silantjevas had no such dramas as he enjoyed a more sedate path to victory over the dangerous Walter Laikre. He took an early 3-1 lead before the Swede levelled it but that was to be his last contribution as Silantjevas took the next four games for the gold medal, to add to his silver in straight pool.
He said, “I’m really happy. I mean, I practiced a lot for this moment and it finally came. I’m happy for my team-mate Ąžuolas, so that’s the best day for Lithuania in history so I’m really happy and proud. I wasn’t nervous as I played the straight pool final before. Of course, there was a bit of pressure but I knew what I had to do in the final so I was ready and prepared.”
In the Girls final it was Sweden’s Linnea Hjalmarstrom who claimed her fourth European Championship gold with a strong performance to defeat Shirin Volery (SUI) by 5-1. Prior to the championships Hjalmarstrom was buoyant about her chances in all three disciplines and so it proved as she led from the start and ran away with the match.
Commented Hjalmarstrom, “It felt amazing winning the title but I would have liked to have won it with a higher standard in the final but I’m always happy when I can win matches even when I’m not on my best game. So, I’m really relieved now that I have my World Championship spot.
“I felt pretty comfortable but of course there were nerves involved and I felt that I had the momentum so I won the mental match and that gave me that score. My confidence comes from my preparation and that’s why I can say that I feel confident and I’m just happy that it paid off and I’m standing here with the win,” she added.
Play also continued today in the Teams competitions, while the 8-ball discipline got underway. 8-ball resumes on Saturday morning and plays down to the quarter-final stage in the Under 17s and 19s, and the last six in the Girls. The final rounds of matches take place on Sunday.
The Predator European Youth Pool Championships is in its 44th year and is presented by the European Pocket Billiard Federation.
Streaming of Tables 1 and 2 for the duration of the Predator European Youth Championships can be found on YouTube, via the Pro Billiard TV channel - https://www.youtube.com/@ProBilliardTV
For all results, live scoring and draw, visit www.epbf.com/tournaments/european-championships/
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