Champion, just champion

AN EASTLEIGH teenager who was “sick and tired” of collecting a seemingly endless supply of runners-up trophies during two years of hurt is finally feeling champion.

Connor Benzey (pictured) has claimed a first major title in his own right by opening up an uncatchable 19-point lead in his last Eastleigh & District Under-13 League.

Needing a couple of victories in week 17 of 20 to make it mathematically certain, he stamped his authority on the competition by winning all four games at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club.

The 13-year-old capped a day to remember by repeating the feat in the Under-19 League to climb to second place in the Premier and then rounded off ten hours of competition by winning the Open Series week-eight final.

“It’s very important for his confidence,” said dad Mark, Southampton’s 2001 snooker Town Champion and current England blackball pool international.

“He’s sick and tired of coming second.

“He’s twice as good as he was six months ago, without question. He practises harder now than he’s practised before, he does his drills right, he concentrates, he doesn’t get too down.

“He’s learning to win. I’ve always said that once he starts winning, he’ll keep winning. He’s technically so sound that even on a bad day, he can still compete.

“His mum (Sam) and I are proud of him.”

The youngster, who made his competitive debut in May 2011 and has a high break of 48, had picked up the Cuestars Plate trophy (a competition for non-qualifiers) in Fareham a fortnight previously and partnered his dad to success in his home club’s Family Tournament last year.

But he had never been crowned a singles champion.

His runners-up trophies include the 2015 Easter Cup, 2015 February Half-Term Cup, a Cuestars Bronze Tour leg in Swindon last year, Under-13 League 47, 2014 John Parrott Cup, 2013 and 2014 O’Sullivan Cup and 2014 Cavagnetto Cup.

Mark added: “As long as he keeps doing what he’s doing, he can go as far as he wants with the game that he’s got now.

“And he wants it.

“But if he gives up tomorrow, he gives up tomorrow. He’s still achieved a lot of things.”

And if the Benzeys become the first father and son to have claimed the Town Championship?

He smiled: “That would be nice, wouldn’t it?

Report and picture by Tim Dunkley.