World snooker champion Luca Brecel ‘really serious’ about shock career change ‘people think is a joke’ [Video]

FORMER World Snooker Champion Luca Brecel has revealed he is “serious” about trying his hand at a new sport.

The 29-year-old has been competing in the Northern Ireland Open this week.

On his non-playing days, Brecel has been travelling to and from the Spanish island of Majorca to practice for his next venture.

The snooker star is training for an Ironman Triathlon – a long distance race that includes a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile cycle and a 26.2-mile run.

He arrived in Belfast on Sunday just a matter of hours before his opening match against He Guoqiang and left immediately after.

Brecel then returned to Northern Ireland last night ahead of his 4-1 defeat to China’s Pang Junxu this morning.

With his training in full swing, the Belgian Bullet hopes to race an Ironman Triathlon in 2028.

He told BBC Sport: “It [the Ironman triathlon] is a really big ambition of mine – …