Turkish favorite still has many rivals

PELOPONESE - The junior world championship three cushion has finished the phase of qualifications today: eight players remain for the quarterfinals. Turkish favorite Omer Karakurt finished with five match points and the highest average (1.530) in his group. Two Koreans, two South Americans, one Spaniard, one Portuguese and one Frenchman want to threaten the European champion and runner-up in last year’s World championship in his race for the title.

The two Koreans, Myung Woo Cho and Hae Chang Jung, were group winners, like Omer Karakurt and Joao Ferreira. Cho could not remain unbeaten after his blistering start (25 in 12 innings). The Spaniard Sergio Aparigio qualified as second in this group, also Manuel Landao closed his group matches with four match points.

Omer Karakurt took five match points, like Pedro Reyes, with whom he played a draw. The Turk faces South American Jose Garcia tomorrow in his first knockout match.
Joao Ferreira fought a magnificent duel for the group win with Jose Garcia. The Colombian had a margin in the last phase, but saw Ferreira come along by a strong final sprint and win the match 25-24. The last point of the Portuguese was a lucky shot.

The Frenchman Adrien Tachoire won two of three matches, like Hae Jung Chang and Cristian Sanchez in Group A. Tachoire had the better average (0.916) than the Colombian.

Six of the eight seeded players finished in three matches over one average: Omer Karakurt 1.530, Joao Ferreira 1.315, Jose Garcia 1.298, Pedro Reyes 1.250, Myung Woo Cho 1.224 and Hae Chang Jung 1.000.

The matches in the quarterfinals:

Hae Chang Jung-Sergio Aparicio
Joao Ferreira-Pedro Reyes
Myung Woo Cho- Adrien Tachoire
Jose Garcia-Omer Karakurt.