Luca Brecel has himself set the goal of completing the Ironman triathlon in 2028 and believes that would give him a bigger thrill than winning the World Championship.
Speaking at the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open in Belfast, where he beat He Guoqiang 4-3 in the first round, 2023 Crucible king Brecel revealed that snooker could take a backseat while he trains for the Ironman, which comprises a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile cycle ride, and 26.2-mile run.
"My big goal is Ironman in 2028," said the 29-year-old Belgian. "That's the main focus. To complete it would give me much more of a buzz than winning the World Championship. No disrespect to winning at the Crucible because that was amazing as well. Just to complete it would feel like a win. I would love to do it in Hawaii, but I don't mind where it is.
"I need four to five years to be sharp for it and my whole life is built around that now. It's my goal and I will definitely make it one day. Ian Burns did it recently, not the full one but he inspired me. I have always loved running, I used to be a good runner so now I need to build it up again. Then my best friend got me into cycling, I have been doing a lot of time on the bike. I want to get good at those first and then perhaps in two years I will start the swimming training.
"I needed to lose weight - I have lost 11 kilos so far and I need to lose ten to 15 more. It would be good to be the first Ironman snooker player."
Brecel arrived in Belfast this afternoon, little more than an hour before his match, having flown from Majorca where he has been on holiday with girlfriend Laura. He had not picked up a cue for three weeks, not ideal preparation for a player in 60th place on the provisional end of season ranking list.
"People might say 'he could have won more' but for me it's not about winning more, it's about enjoying it," added Brecel, whose top break today was 42. "I do enjoy this game, I love it every time I come to the table. But this is the lifestyle I need to have to enjoy it. For me it's perfect, what's what I have done for my whole career. I like being able to switch off from snooker when I'm not playing and then switch back on for matches. It was great to have a holiday and in fact I'm flying back to Majorca tonight and then returning to Belfast before my next match. I can't wait to be on the beach tomorrow."