Former world snooker champion Terry Griffiths has died aged 77; Griffiths triumphed at The Crucible in 1979 earlier than occurring to finish the game’s ‘triple crown’; Welshman moved into tv punditry and training after retiring from taking part in
Final Up to date: 02/12/24 12:30am
Terry Griffiths gained the World Snooker Championship at The Crucible in 1979
Former world snooker champion Terry Griffiths has died aged 77 after a prolonged battle with dementia, his household have confirmed.
Griffiths’ son Wayne wrote on Fb: “To our pals and snooker followers on the whole, we’re deeply saddened to share the information of our loss.
“Terry Griffiths OBE handed away peacefully on December 1, after a prolonged battle with dementia. He was surrounded by his household in his beloved home-town in South Wales.
“A proud Welshman, Terry was born in Llanelli, introduced delight to Llanelli and now he has discovered peace in Llanelli. He wouldn’t have had it another means.”
Griffiths got here by means of the qualifying rounds earlier than occurring to win the 1979 World Snooker Championship, and in addition gained the Masters and the UK Championship to finish the game’s illustrious ‘triple crown’.
In later years, Griffiths grew to become an achieved coach, inspiring the likes of Stephen Hendry, Mark Williams and Mark Allen.
In 2007, Griffiths was made an OBE for his companies to the game.
Terry Griffiths made his final look at The Crucible in 1997
Snooker stars pay tribute to Griffiths
World No 1 Judd Trump led the tributes to Griffiths after profitable the UK Championship last on Sunday night.
“It is vitally, very unhappy information,” Trump stated. “It’s powerful for the household and so they have such a historical past in snooker.
“Terry was a witty man. He was all the time very humorous and fast, and a legend of the sport. He was somebody that, once I went to the Welsh Open he’d all the time come over and make a joke.
“I feel due to the those who went to him you could possibly inform he was an awesome coach. I had an excellent connection. It’s extremely unhappy information and a tragic day for Welsh sport on the whole.”
Williams and Allen, each of whom describe Griffiths as a mentor, have been amongst gamers who took to social media on Sunday to pay tribute.
Griffiths was a fixture on the high finish of the game throughout the Nineteen Eighties and early Nineties, reaching a minimum of the quarter-finals of the World Championship for 9 straight years, and reaching the ultimate once more in 1988.
He retired from taking part in after a first-round defeat to Williams on the 1997 World Championship.
World Snooker posted a press release describing Griffiths as an “all-time snooker nice”, including: “Our honest condolences to Terry’s household and plenty of pals. He was cherished and revered by everybody within the sport.”
The Welsh Billiards and Snooker Affiliation stated: “We’re deeply saddened to announce the passing of WBSA President Terry Griffiths OBE. We ship our deepest condolences to Terry’s household.”
