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Daniel Reyes travelled 90 hours for 9 caroms

03/27/2014

Published by frits bakker

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© © Harry van Nijlen/Kozoom
Daniel Reyes, after a long trip, servely punished by Sung-Won Choi

LUXOR - 33-year old Daniel Reyes from Maracaibo, Venezuela, packed a suitcase and his cue, kissed his wife and two kids (boy & girl) and left for a long journey to Luxor. The UMB had given him a wildcard for the World Cup in Egypt, the ultimate prize for a billiard player from South America.

The trip would be long and exhausting, Daniel knew that upfront. From his residence to Caracas, a few hours of waiting, then a flight to Madrid, another long layover, and then to Luxor: 40 hours in total.

It will be long again on the way back, longer even, with an additional stop in Paris. But Daniel refused to think about those 90 hours of travel time. He wanted to go for glory on the world stage, in the Luxor World Cup.

Three days ahead of time he got sick: intestinal problems. he did not eat for a few days, had a fever, called a doctor. He was given medication and told that it would get better before the tournament.

His opponent? Sung-Won Choi, renowned player from Korea, a World Cup winner even, runner-up in a world championship and again runner-up in the first World Cup of this cycle, beaten by another Korean, Jae Ho Cho.

Daniel Reyes shone with pride, as he stood amidst the other top players on opening day. Frédéric Caudron, Marco Zanetti, Torbjörn Blomdahl, Dick Jaspers, Eddy Merckx..., names that were music to his ears.

He walked into the arena for his first match, looked at the filled stands and encouraged himself. Come on Daniel, this is your moment to shine. You can do it.

The sword came down swiftly. The Korean sphinx, seasoned in these tournaments, took off like a speedboat on the Nile, shooting caroms out of his Molinari, turning his opponent into a punching bag. It was 23-2 after 8 innings, and it ended 40-9 in 13.

Daniel Reyes can go home at the end of the week. He will have done some 15.000 miles, and they will have taken him 90 hours. With 9 points made, that comes to 10 hours for every carom.

The World Cup history book of anecdotes has a new and gruelling chapter, since Luxor.

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