Jose Juan Garcia is South American's hope

ISTANBUL - The young man who showed himself in his full glory to the world of three cushion a few weeks ago, returns to the arena in Istanbul today. Jose Juan Garcia from Colombia defeated the world's number one, Torbjörn Blomdahl, in the Guri World Cup and eventually was beaten by Frédéric Caudron in the quarters. The South American, former junior world champion, has travelled with lots of ambitions to a new challenge at the World Cup podium. He starts today (Wednesday) in a tough preliminary round with the Turkish veteran Yilmaz Özcan and Frenchman Pierre Soumagne.

The double Pan American champion, this year as a senior, in the past as junior, has tried to deal with his jetlag in Istanbul. ,,I slept very irregularly after my arrival at the hotel on Sunday, but spent two days trying to find my rhythm and energy to be ready for the first machtes. Unfortunately I could not find a billiard room to practice a few hours.''

Garcia plays his first match today at 14.00 (Turkish time) against the loser of Soumagne-Özcan. Two strong Koreans, Jae Guen Kim and Ra Hee Kim, will meet in the first round at 11.00. Emrullah Basegmez plays at 12.30 against Mehmet Goren and Gökhan Salman, the player/organizer, at the same time against Bülent Özdemir.

Jean Reverchon and Vinh Ly The come to the tables at 14.00, the Turks, Ahmet Alp and Savas Bulut and ladies world champion Therese Klompenhouwer at 15.30.

The group format for today:

Group A: Incekara - Bastos - Celik

Group B: Reverchon - Sasaki - José-Mara Mas

Group C: Arai - Gunaydin - Özden

Group D: Jae Guen Kim - Ra Hee Kim - Kostistansky

Group E: Karaca - Bartsokas - Crespo

Group F: The Ly - Mori - Tekeli

Group G: Salem - Van Geyt - Olsson

Group H: Garcia - Soumagne - Özcan

Group I: Alp - Soinisalo - Lohmander

Group J: Park - Eckel - Minaoglu

Group K: Bulut - Sciacca - Cho

Group L: Basegmez - Goren - Groot

Group M: Tsokantas - Ray - Güngordü

Group N: Kiyota - Bastulani - Capak

Group O: Salman - Özdemir - Ahn

Group P: Klompenhouwer - Bayatli - Lee

All matches are broadcast live by Kozoom.

Jae Guen Kim