Coaching helps billiards champ return to basics and improve his game

By Fabius Chen

PETER Gilchrist’s rivals could be forgiven for believing that, after going 12 years without winning a major title, the former billiards world champion was past his best.

Even his own father Frank has been reminding the 45-year-old that the clock is ticking.

“I’ve had conversations with him where he would say that I’m not getting any younger; that the kids coming through will soon overtake me, if they haven’t already,” the Middlesbrough-born billiards player revealed.

But rather than let the doubts fester in his mind, he grappled back in the best possible way.

At last month’s World Billiards Championship, he rolled back the years with a 1,500–1,085 win over Britain’s world No. 1 David Causier in the final to clinch a third world title.

“I’d beaten him in our last three meetings, so I went in feeling quite confident,” said Gilchrist, who took up Singapore citizenship in 2006.

Even so, it took a spirited comeback to claim victory in Leeds, with Causier leading by over 200 points at one stage.

Indeed, the final was a microcosm of his journey back to the pinnacle of his sport, after his world championship successes in 1994 and 2001.

“Peter’s win is a good lesson to any athlete about perseverance and self-belief,” The Straits Times sports editor Marc Lim said yesterday, as Gilchrist was honoured as ST’s Star of the Month for October.

The award is an extension of ST’s Athlete of the Year accolade, which was launched in 2008. Both are backed by F&N’s 100Plus.

“To be able to unselfishly back the top when things are not working quite right — that takes rare breed,” Lim added.

“Peter has shown that he is such an athlete.”

Playing prowess, however, tells just half the story of Gilchrist’s latest world crown.

As national billiards coach, he has learnt to incorporate the lessons constantly being drilled into his charges into his own game.

GETTING BETTER WITH AGE
“When I was younger, I didn’t always understand what I was doing wrong. Now, I know how to go back to basics, and I’m playing better than I’ve ever done.”
— Singapore’s billiards world champion Peter Gilchrist

“Billiards is all about knowledge,” he pointed out. “When I was younger, I didn’t always understand what I was doing wrong.

“Now, I know how to go back to basics, and I’m playing better than I’ve ever done.”

No surprise, then, that he is not quite ready to pass the torch to the up-and-comers that his father keeps reminding him of.

“When I decided to be a coach, I could have put my cue away for good,” said Gilchrist, who will next month be looking to complete another hat-trick of singles titles, this time at the SEA Games.

“But I’ve still got a massive desire to win. I think I can continue being good at this till I’m 65 years old.

“Definitely, I’ve still got a lot of good years ahead of me.”

Peter Gilchrist, 45, here receiving his ST Star of the Month award from F&N Foods general manager Jennifer See, says he still has a massive desire to keep winning billiards titles and has no intention of retiring just yet. ST PHOTO: AZIZ HUSSIN