PETER Devlin is setting his sights on the European Championship in 2017 in Cyprus after he was knocked out in the last 32 at the IBSF World Under-21 Championships.

The 20-year-old lost 5-3 to ex-professional player Kacper Filipiak at the end of last month after he flew through his group and the last 64 knockout stage in his first world competition.

The Leyton snooker player, who trains for around six hours a day, valued the experience and feels he can go one step further next time around.

“Personally I felt it could have gone better. I think it is good that I got to the last 32 out of 130 players but I thought I could have gone a lot further,” said Devlin.

“I still gave it my all and got right into the match but I was up against an ex-professional and he was quite experienced and in the end he won.

“I wasn’t the favourite to win but it has given me a taste of what it is about, I liked a lot of things about it, it was a very professional event.

“The lighting was amazing, and the venue was really good and it is a taste of what there is to come.”

Devlin trains at Legends Snooker club in Leytonstone and currently Ronnie O’Sullivan and Liang Wenbo are both practicing there.

O’Sullivan has been giving Devlin words of wisdom and he has now adopted another form of training.

He added: “Ronnie said to me to stick at it and I have also been playing against Wenbo during practising.

“I have been taking frames off him and it feels incredible to have been able to do that against a professional.

“Ziya Durak and I have changed the practice regime at the club and I have gained another level from it.

“With the Europeans coming up next year, I feel it is something I can win. I could have won at the Worlds, I think I will gave a good chance.”

Devlin’s coach, Josh Raga, admitted he believes his player can go on to be the world champion in the next four to five years.

The 40-year-old has been coaching for 20 years and ran his own academy where four of his players won 100 tournaments at Upton Park.

“Peter was one of the four players who won tournaments at Upton Park and I thought I wanted to create a world champion,” said Raga.

“So I then concentrated on Peter and now I feel it is starting to happen and it will happen.

“Everyone around him is seeing how far he has come and are so positive and I am a man of my word, he will win a world title.”

Devlin thanked the manager of Legends Ziya Durak for letting him train at the club for free and the commitment he has given to him.