Mark Allen's incredible body transformation after snooker star lost over six stone

World no.8 Mark Allen will start his bid to become a triple crown champion tomorrow, having vastly improved his lifestyle. The Northern Irishman takes on Fan Zhengyi in his first-round match and wants to add to his and 2022 UK Championship wins.

'The Pistol' has previously been a world No.1 and recently . However, he's had to endure battles with his weight and fitness in his career, and now, quite literally, is a shadow of his former self. The 39-year-old has opened up about his weight battles in the past and credited his upturn in form to a change of approach.

"I just feel healthier in myself and more positive in the way I look," he told the last year. "I'm not there worrying 'Is my shirt coming out, can people see things they shouldn't be seeing?'

"I just try to concentrate on playing snooker. It took me a bit of an adjustment period. It was a dramatic weight loss, it was about six and a half stone I lost at one point, it was a different body when you're playing."

Allen is perceived as a major contender in Sheffield. He's previously cited a conversation with as critical to his body transformation which took place between 2018 and 2022, and believes his slim figure has also improved his technique.

"I'm out the other end of it now and I feel like I'm in a good place with it all," he said. "I'm happy with where my body is, I just need to tighten up that cue action."

In 2024 as he discussed his weight loss, he also opened up on his chances at the Crucible, he added: "You can prepare all you want, and you can think you're doing the right things, and then turn up and don't play well on the day.

"But I feel like I'm fresher this year than last year, even though I played better and got better results last year, I haven't been getting to the later stages as often. I should be going into Sheffield a bit more refreshed than I was last year."