Life

Portrush snooker champ Jordan Brown: I'm still on a high after Open win

Gail Bell asks experts and people in the public eye what keeps them going. This week: Co Antrim snooker champion Jordan Brown

Jordan Brown, who lives in Portrush, won the Welsh Open snooker tournament last month, defeating Ronnie O'Sullivan in the final
Jordan Brown, who lives in Portrush, won the Welsh Open snooker tournament last month, defeating Ronnie O'Sullivan in the final Jordan Brown, who lives in Portrush, won the Welsh Open snooker tournament last month, defeating Ronnie O'Sullivan in the final
1

Up and at it – what is your new morning routine? How has it changed?

I get up, get on the treadmill – for around 20 minutes – then I'll sit down for breakfast before showering and heading down for practice at Antrim Sports Club.

2

What might you eat in a typical working day for...Breakfast?

Breakfast will usually be a bowl of bran flakes with milk.

Lunch?

Probably some soup or a sandwich.

Evening meal?

Whatever my girlfriend, Catherine, makes – she's a great cook.

3

Have you been able to work from home – if so, how have you found it?

No, as a professional snooker player, that hasn't been an option, although during lockdown I wished I had a table at home to practice on. It would be handy if I didn't fancy the drive from my home in Portrush to the club in Antrim. I have my own snooker table at the premises, though, and that gives me a certain amount of freedom which is great.

4

Best/easiest lockdown meal?

My favourite has to be chicken curry but the easiest would be chilli chicken penne pasta.

5

Weekend treat?

Usually, it's a Chinese meal of some sort – either a curry or a chow mein.

6

How have you kept physically and mentally fit during lockdown?

I currently live in Portrush, so I love to go for nice long walks along the beach. Recently, though, I bought a treadmill which I found is handy to have, in case of bad weather. I try to eat as healthily as possible and I recently upped my fruit and veg intake. I also spend about five to six hours a day practising snooker so that keeps me focused mentally.

7

What has been your daily outdoor exercise?

Walking the dog – I got a golden Labrador puppy at the start of the year and it was my first ever family pet. We call him Henry and he's great fun but, still being a puppy, he chews everything and tends to wreck the house. He has just had his injections so now I can take him out for walks.

8

How do you relax?

For me, relaxing generally means sitting on sofa to watch sports and films. In normal times, I'd go out for a meal and drink with Catherine or go for a beer with my friends. After my Welsh Open win, I have been feeling very relaxed and I'm still on a little bit of a high because I never expected it to happen. I always had self-belief but I didn't expect to win like that – certainly not so soon. I'll be coming back down to Earth soon.

9

Teetotal or tipple?

I love a beer, so tipple. I would have a few bottles maybe a couple of times a week. And Captain Morgan with Fanta orange has to be up there with the best.

10

What book are you currently reading?

I love autobiographies and I'm currently reading Elton John's latest one – Me.

11

Best Netflix?

I haven't had a chance to watch many box sets but my favourite sitcoms are there – Friends and Only Fools and Horses. They never get dated or too old, in my opinion.

12

Most surprising thing you've learned about yourself?

My resilience and calmness under pressure, I hope, will stand me in good stead for the future. I think I showed that during my unexpected Welsh Open win in February, when I think I was able to cope well with the pressure. I had coronavirus at the beginning of the year so I also had to learn to be patient while I was recovering from it. My girlfriend works in a home for vulnerable adults and she was the first of the two of us to get ill. She had a bad cough and was in bed for a number of days, so I became her carer until I got sick myself. I lost my sense of smell, but thankfully we were both OK.

13

On a scale of one to 10, where have you been in relation to cabin fever and where are you now?

I was around three at the start of all this because I enjoy spending time with family and because I'm usually away quite a lot playing tournaments. Now, a year down the line, I'm itching to get back to normal again.

14

What are the three things you missed most during the beginning of lockdown?

Snooker, going out to a restaurant for dinner and going to the pub.

15

Where will you go and what will you do when restrictions are fully lifted?

A holiday – 100 per cent! I'd love to go to Greece or one of the Canary Islands and maybe have the odd weekend away somewhere nice with Catherine.

16

Biggest gripe?

Ignorance, mainly – and bad drivers.

17

Have your priorities in life or perspectives changed?

Yes, ever since I moved in with Catherine and her kids, I feel like I've matured in life a lot more and believe my perspectives will have changed for good, especially in relation to Covid. I'll never take anything for granted again.

18

Any new skills or hobbies?

Taking the dog out for a walk and virtual quizzes with my mates once a week

19

What would you like to see change for good when this is all over?

That people will be a lot more caring in society and that we all learn a lot from the whole experience.

20

Has coronavirus changed your attitude towards your own mortality?

It hasn't changed my perceptions of my own mortality but I am more aware of the risks for other people, especially the more vulnerable.

Jordan Brown will be competing in the Betfred World Snooker Championship qualifiers in the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, at the beginning of April.