'I will milk this at every opportunity' – How Louis Heathcote produced snooker's shot of century in 2021

ByEurosport

Published 30/12/2021 at 09:30 GMT

Snooker's shot of the year competition was finished in April when Louis Heathcote produced a miraculous effort during a World Championship qualifier with Ryan Day. The world number 101 lost 6-5 to the Welshman in the last 80 in Sheffield, but can look back fondly on slotting a yellow from a seemingly impossible position on the table. It wlll go down as one of the greatest shots in history.

Louis Heathcote might never win a major snooker title, but he can claim to have produced the most miraculous shot of all time in 2021.

At a time of the year when awards are being handed out for shot of the year, the unheralded world number 101 Heathcote might have already produced the shot of the century during a 6-5 defeat to Ryan 'Dynamite' Day in the third round of World Championship qualifying.

His great escape in the seventh frame against Day was green baize dynamite, captured exclusively LIVE by Eurosport, and fittingly occurred during the sport's biggest tournament.

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• 'One of the most extraordinary shots in history!' - Watch Louis Heathcote's miracle effort

'One of the most extraordinary shots in history!' - Watch Louis Heathcote's miracle effort

Snookered behind the black with no obvious route to hit the yellow ball in the closing exchanges of the frame, the Leicester professional rattled the white off the jaws of a top cushion pocket before seeing the cue ball skip up the table, hit the yellow just beyond a centre pocket to pot the ball in the green bag in baulk.

"One of the most extraordinary shots in snooker history," said a bewildered commentator Philip Studd, with pundit Neal Foulds simply adding: "I can't believe it."

"Yes, I will milk this at every opportunity," said Heathcote. "Knew I'd make it in the history books one way or another."

Perhaps his nickname should be 'King Louis' after such a mind-blowing effort.

At least he can rest easy knowing his glorious trick shot will rack up millions of video views in the years ahead with a little help from Eurosport's snooker coverage.

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