Snooker world champion Luca Brecel prepared for the Northern Ireland Open by cycling, and flew in and out of Belfast for his opening showdown with He Guoqiang on Sunday. The 29-year-old has based himself in Mallorca and has admitted he wants to compete in an Ironman event one day.

Brecel, who got the better of Mark Selby in the 2023 World Snooker Championship final, has never progressed beyond the fourth round of the Northern Ireland Open and missed the tournament last year.

He opened his 2024 campaign with a 4-3 victory over He at the Waterfront Hall and will return to the venue on Wednesday to take on Junxu Pang.

Following his narrow win against He, Brecel took to Instagram to share a picture of his dinner. And the Belgian wrote: “Landed in Belfast this morning, played snooker in the Waterfront Hall, won 4-3, quick bite at Wagamama with good company, now back to Alcudia.”

Brecel was quizzed about his efforts against He during an interview with Eurosport after the encounter.

And the ace explained: “The early flight this morning from Mallorca didn’t help. Three hours, quite early, it was a rough flight as well. No excuses, but that’s why I wasn’t that sharp today.”

The Belgian Bullet’s preparations were then questioned by former Masters champion Alan McManus. And he replied: “I don’t look at it like a ranking event, I just see it as a game today. For me it’s like practice, I’m totally honest.

“I just love playing, I don’t love playing because of the ranking points or because of the money, I just love playing. If it’s here or Spain or at home in practice, it doesn’t matter to me, it’s all the same. That’s why I look like I don’t take it serious, but I actually do.”

And when his commitment was examined, Brecel added: “I would agree because I have different priorities in life to other players, maybe. That’s how I see it.

“Maybe as a snooker fan it’s difficult to support me. Maybe it’s easy because you never know what’s going to happen.

“That’s the way I live my life. Obviously I can see it’s different to other players but that’s the way I want to live and I enjoy it. I’ve been cycling the last few days in Mallorca - it’s not the preparation other players maybe would take, but I do and I enjoy it.

“I can turn up at any tournament and win it or I can lose first round, that’s how it’s always been in my career. I prefer it that way. That’s the funny thing about it.”