Buit Bows Out After Record European Championships Run

As players made their final preparations for the biggest ever European Team Championships - which get underway tomorrow at the Frans Otten Stadion in Amsterdam - it was revealed that Dutch star Lucas Buit will be retiring from the national team after making a record 20th successive appearance in the event for his country.

The 40-year-old from Amsterdam made his Dutch debut in the 1989 championships in Helsinki - since when he has never missed selection for his beloved Netherlands, making more than 150 appearances!

Furthermore, Buit has won a record nine national championships in addition to winning a number of PSA Tour titles in an illustrious career which has made him one of the most successful Dutch players of all-time!

"He's been a fantastic role model for Dutch players for such a long time - he will be sorely missed when he gives up playing for the Netherlands," said Dutch men's team manager Peter Berden.

Dutch national coach Sjef van der Heijden - who is also retiring after the championships - joked: "If I wasn't retiring, I'd make him stay on until he fell over!"

Buit, who last year won the British Open Over-40 championships in his Masters' debut, agreed that there had been a number of highlights in his outstanding career:

"My first Nationals win will always stand out - but then so did the ones after that! But playing for the Dutch team always seems to bring the best out in me - I had some of my best results in a Dutch shirt - beating higher-ranked players like Chris Walker, Alex Gough and Julien Bonetat," explained Buit.

"I didn't start playing until I was 15 - so perhaps that explains why I've been able to keep going for so long," added Buit - who later next month travels to Liverpool in England to defend his Dunlop British Open Over-40 title.

Buit was reflecting on his decision, sitting by the three-sided-glass showcourt in the spectacular 21-court Frans Otten Stadion where he is based as a coach.

"It just feels right to be playing my last matches for Holland here at the club where I coach every day. It would be the perfect end if we could be playing in the final stages of the championships, here on 'my' court," said Buit. "And then I would love to take over as Dutch National coach - I think I am ideally qualifier for the role."

Buit played his part in the Dutch men's team winning the silver medal in last year's championship - their best-ever finish. Seeded two this year, Netherlands hope to meet defending champions England again in the 2008 final - this time on home soil!

A record 28 nations are competing in the men's event and 19 in the women's event in Amsterdam - beginning tomorrow, and leading to the finals on Saturday.