It was not in cycling, but in three-cushion billiards, that another Eddy Merckx won his third world title.
For the record, three-cushion billiards is a discipline derived from carom billiards that is played on a table without pockets (unlike pool or snooker). The aim is to strike two other coloured balls by bouncing the cue ball off at least three cushions before the last ball is touched. The game is also known as "carom billiards" and is particularly popular in Asia, enjoying extensive media coverage with all major tournaments broadcast on television.
At the 78th World Three-Cushion Billiards Championship, held in Blois (the capital of the Loir-et-Cher department in central France), Eddy Merckx reached the final after a 50–47 victory over Egypt's Sameh Sidhom (world number 6), who had knocked out fellow Belgian Frédéric Caudron in the quarter-finals.
The 58-year-old from Antwerp eventually defeated the 2023 world champion, Vietnam’s Phuong Vinh Bao (world number 5), by 50–39.
Following his victories in Sankt Wendel (2006) and Porto (2012), Eddy Merckx has added another major achievement to his career and is closing in on Frédéric Caudron (four titles), whilst remaining a long way behind the unbeatable Raymond Ceulemans. A dominant force in the discipline, Ceulemans was crowned world champion 35 times during his career.
