Chris Wakelin: How ballroom dancing contributed to first ranking title

Chris Wakelin began this year as the world number 47 - but that was before he won his first ranking title since turning professional a decade ago.

Last week's memorable Snooker Shoot Out final victory over Belgian teenager Julien Leclercq in Leicester has helped lift the 30-year-old Englishman up to 31 in the world rankings.

Wakelin, who heralds from the Warwickshire town of Rugby, is up to 15 on the provisional one-year list and now has a great chance of securing a place at the coveted Players Championship in Wolverhampton at the end of February.

And, perhaps surprisingly, he credits his recent success with a new pursuit away from the snooker table, having swapped the green baize for a bit of ballroom velvet.

"I have changed a few bits and pieces on the table," he told 'Framed', BBC Essex's weekly snooker podcast.

"I am also doing a lot of fitness and running. That's really helped off the table.

"I took up running because I'd ballooned to 17 and a half stone, the heaviest I've ever been. Throughout the Covid lockdown I'd not done enough exercise. Like a lot of people, I spent so much time eating and drinking. But I also started ballroom dancing around 18 months ago.

"I got involved because my brother encouraged me to help out and be a part of Strictly Christmas, our local Strictly Come Dancing spin-off, which raises money for Zoe's Place, the baby hospice in Coventry.

"Just being a part of that was life changing. We had visits to the hospice to see the children, staff and families to understand what it is we're raising money for.

"As cutting and difficult as it was to see, it inspired me to help out as much as I can,"

"I don't blow my own trumpet, but there's a few videos circulating on Facebook," said Wakelin.

Aided by his dance partner Molly, he added: "We managed to get to the final in December. We got the dance floor all to ourselves and danced a beautiful waltz.

"I was very proud how far Molly had come in just eight weeks. And to be able to lead her around the dance floor as we did, I was proud of my performance too."

The dancing has also helped Wakelin lose four stone in around three months.

"It was a healthy loss of weight," he said. "I was still eating plenty. But I've gone from doing very little exercise to working out and running every day. And I'm very happy in the way my life has been going, which is probably testament to the results I've been having.

"Being happy off the table has led to better snooker on it.

"In the first half of the season, I couldn't buy a win. So having that silverware at the Shoot Out is just magic."

Since turning professional in 2013, Wakelin's previous best was a few quarter-finals and three first round appearances at the World Championships in Sheffield.

But he is now looking forward to the rest of the season, culminating in the snooker world's annual trip to the Crucible, with positivity.

"Five years ago I just hit rock bottom midway through a match," he said. "That was when I realised I wasn't in a good place.

"I was playing Stuart Bingham. It was 1-1, between frames. And I was sat in my seat staring at him, thinking 'I just want to go and shake your hand and walk out. I don't want to play'.

"I'd never felt like that before and I've never felt like it since. It was just that particular day. For no reason whatsoever, I just needed to get out of there. Which is why I can completely sympathize with Dave Gilbert and the episode recently, external in the qualifying for the German Masters (against Andy Hicks).

"We've all had those days at work. It was obviously not just snooker, it was things going on off the table as well. But I managed, with the support of friends and family, to come through that difficult time.

"The last 10 years of my life on tour have gone in the blink of an eye. I have regrets that I haven't made the most of the opportunities I've had.

"But we're not on this planet for very long so, when you do get the chance to try a new skill, like with the dancing, you should always grasp it with both hands."

Wakelin, who had won £14,500 in prize money this season, picked up a £50,000 winner's cheque at the Shoot Out, pocketing a further £5,000 for hitting the week's top break of 119 in the final.

"It means the world," he said. "As snooker players we know how many hours it takes to get to this level.

"These sort of opportunities don't come around very often, for someone like me who's been at it 10 years.

"I've had a couple of decent runs, I've been to the Crucible three times and I've shown my potential on a few occasions, but to be in my first semi-final and then my first final.

"I know it's only the Shoot Out and it is a complete lottery, and anybody is capable of winning it. But to be in that position and now know I can do it in front of a packed house with the trophy on the line, my performance in the final I felt was exquisite.

"I managed to get over the over the line and make a century break, and do that when it really matters was great. It takes a lot of pressure off.

"It's by far and away the most money I've ever earned in my career. But, on top of all it's the knowledge that you can do it. When that moment comes again there's nothing stopping me from winning a final frame decider with a century break. It's opened a lot of doors for me mentally.

"I've got a chance to get into the Players Championship and I look almost certain to play the Champion of Champions later this year, something I never even dreamt I'd be able to play in.

"So it's time to strike while the iron's hot. It's the highest ranking I've ever been. It's the best position I've been in, in terms of being able to just concentrate on being successful, so I'm definitely not going to be sitting back now. And I'd love to qualify for the World Championships again."

Chris Wakelin was talking to BBC Essex sports editor Glenn Speller on their weekly 'Framed - The Snooker Podcast'

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