Johan Lorek, a 8 Pool and snooker player since his adolescence, answered all our questions.
How did you find out about billiards ? How long have you been playing ?
I’ve been playing since the age of 14. I discovered billiards thanks to my big brother who was playing D2 for fun in a cafe called “Le Central” at Lauwin Planque near Douai in France. He would take me from time to time to see his games and training. I was immediately bitten, I played a lot. I joined one of the largest French pool teams at the age of 16, the Saints Michel d’Arras, with whom I won everything, and which was made up of great players (Christophe LAMBERT, Jean MONTURY …).
What is your best memory as a snooker player ?
Without hesitation the French individual snooker cup in Grenoble in 2003 against Yannick POULAIN !
It is not necessarily my biggest title between the French snooker championship, the world championship of 8 Pool… but this title was special because I had been hospitalized for 3 weeks before the start of the competition (I went out 48 hours before the start of the tournament). I only had a few hours of training before leaving, not in optimal physical condition, but an EXCEPTIONAL desire to win !!! I managed to win this tournament 3/2 in the final against Yannick POULAIN by making the best break of the tournament.
How did you organize your training during confinement ?
I only played at 8 Pool during containment (unfortunately not having an additional snooker at home).
My training takes place with challenges :
- 14/1 (put as many marbles as possible in any order without missing),
- Penalty sessions,
- Make the most firm breaks or firm repeats in a row (record 11),
- Meetings against my wife who played on the national women’s circuit (not easy because she doesn’t like to lose … I’m kidding),
- I’m learning to play my eldest daughter.
Do you have competitions planned ?
For the moment with the health context, we do not yet really know how the next competitions will take place.
The 2019/2020 season is over, all the final stages are canceled.
I am like the other players on the circuit, I await the announcements of the Federation for the next competitions to come, in particular how will start the 2020/2021 season …
What advice would you give to work on your game ?
It takes a lot of training already … without training and rigor it is very difficult to progress.
After in my case, I had the chance (and I always have this chance) to train every day with snooker player or 8 Pools who are part of the elite, with Christophe LAMBERT, Jean MONTURY, Paul COLDRICK, Guillaume ACCART for the 8 Pool… or Yannick POULAIN, Sylvain CLAMOUSSE, Grégory KOPEC, Roger DUMORTIER, Alexis CALLEWAERT with snooker… which allows me to keep a high level constantly.
Being able to train regularly with very good players is very good for passing a course, in addition to the individual work which remains the most important through routine exercise (line-up, long-shot …).
In my case, which combines professional activity and high-level billiards, the most important thing is necessarily to WIN while having fun and not to take the lead in order to have results over time … and I think that today it works pretty well.