Kyren Wilson admits physical pain of becoming snooker champ as backstage footage emerges | Other | Sport

New world snooker champion Kyren Wilson struggled physically as well as emotionally after holding on to beat Jak Jones in a tense final. The 32-year-old looked to be cruising to the title for the first time as he led the Welsh qualifier 15-10 ahead of the final session and then moved to within one frame of glory at 17-11.

But Jones refused to go quietly, reeling off three frames in a row before Wilson finally got over the line, shouting in celebration as he potted the frame-ball red. An emotional Wilson duly broke down in tears as he embraced his family, with the strain and pressure of the occasion having clearly taken its toll.

Indeed, new backstage footage has emerged of the 32-year-old struggling to even pick up the trophy as he waited to be interviewed in the Eurosport studio. Instead, his brother Taylor was left holding the silverware as Wilson stood there seemingly exhausted.

And he admitted to his sibling, who regularly manages him at tournaments, “My arms are killing” after playing 32 frames over Sunday and Monday. He managed to raise them to shake the hands of pundits Jimmy White and Alan McManus before being able to sink in comfort into a studio chair.

By that point Wilson had apologised for his dramatic reaction during the final frame, admitting the emotion of the moment had got to him. “I would like to say sorry to Jak for that outburst but it does mean so much to us all. My mum and dad have remortgaged and sacrificed their whole lives to get me here,” he told the BBC.

“I have dreamed of this moment. It was so nice to have the family there and let out emotions, because we have been on a real rollercoaster of a journey since I was six years old. I have given everything, I held myself together, kept myself composed and Jak fought and fought and made it so difficult for me.”

The player dubbed ‘The Warrior’ has previously voiced his ambition to become a multiple world champion, despite arriving in Sheffield without a Triple Crown title to his name. He lost to Mark Allen in the final of the 2018 Masters and in the finale at The Crucible back in 2020, was beaten by Ronnie O’Sullivan in a behind-closed-doors affair.

But after his landmark victory, Wilson has climbed nine places to third in the world rankings, behind new world No.1 Mark Allen and Judd Trump. And the Englishman added he now has the self-belief to build on his Crucible triumph.

“I believe I can be a multiple world champion and I’d be disappointed if I only landed one,” he said. “That first one has got to be the hardest. I’ve got it off my back and nobody can take that away from me.”