3-Cushion
IZMIR - The podium for the World championship three cushion for women in Izmir gives way for the entrance of sixteen of the world's young talents in the next three days. Spaniard Carlos Anguita, from the renowned training centre of Jose Marie Quetglas in Murcia, is in his last year as a junior and makes a shot to a new title. The opposition at the World junior championship mainly comes from Asia and France, with Korea's super talent Myung-Woo Cho as its main competitor.
The joyous Korean is already known for his appearances between the big stars in three cushion. The World Cups have discovered Cho's talent since two years and in the LGU Cup, he was one of the wildcard holders two weeks ago. Cho's world title, two years ago in Hurghada, was not followed up last year. Carlos Anguita seized the title in Spanish Los Narejos, where he defeated Korean Beom Yeol Lee. Myung Woo Cho disappointed in the Spanish billiard stronghold, but is definitely among the big favourites in Izmir.
Carlos Anguita fully realizes that there is only one chance to shine again at a junior World podium. ,,I feel the nerves and the desire of doing good at this championship as it will be my last'', the Spaniard says on the eve of the startin Izmir. ,,It is a different perspective for my now. I try to not think about that I am the champion and one of the favourites, but just focus game per game.''
How does his career will look like after the last junior championship? Carlos: ,, The first year after the juniors is always a difficult year. I'll keep on training as always to improve and try to enter the best 16 players in Spain. That's a hard, but a beautiful challenge. And my philosophy will not change: train, train and train, haha.''
The competition will not only come from the Asian countries this weekend. The French Gwendal Maréchal and Maxime Panaia are surely among the contenders. Gwendal Maréchal was on the podium last year in Spain, Maxime Panaia is the French junior champion and one of the big talents in three cushion.
The matches are played in the Halkapinar Sport Hall. Carlos Anguita shows up in the first group with Maxime Panaia and two outside playerrs: Egyptian Mahmoud Ayman and Dane Björn Mikkel Jensen. Myung-Woo Cho and Gwendal Maréchal are the favourites in Group B with Santiago Campo from Colombia and Alperen Cebeoglu from Turkey.
In Group C, Korean Daehyeon Jang is relatively unknown. Stef van Hees is from Belgium, Mario Mercader is, like Anguita, from the Spanish school in Murcia, the fourth player is Alessio d'Agata from Italy. Dutchman Joey de Kok, in Group D, faces his last junior year, Syouta Funaki has a pretty famous billiard father, Julian Vasquez is the second Colombian, Arda Güngor from the home country Turkey.
The group format with four players:
Group A:
Carlos Anguita (Spa), reigning champion
Mahmoud Ayman (Eg)
Maxime Panaia (Fr)
Bjorn Mikkel Jensen (Den)
Group B:
Gwendal Maréshal (Fr)
Myung Woo Cho (Kor)
Santiago Ocampo (Col)
Alpine Cebeoglu (Tur)
Group C:
Alessio d'Agata (It)
Mario Mercader (Spa)
Stef van Hees (Bel)
Daehyeon Jang (Kor)
Group D:
Syouta Funaki (Japanese)
Julian Vasquez (Col)
Joey de Kok (Ned)
Arda Güngor (Tur).
The first two sessions for today, Friday:
13.00 (12.00 West Europe):
Ayman-Panaia
Anguita-Jensen
Cho-Ocampo
Maréchal-Cebeoglu
15.00 (14.00):
Mercader-Van Hees
D'Agata-Jang
Vasquez-De Kok
Funaki-Gungor
All matches can be followed live on Kozoom for Premium Pas holders