3-Cushion
SAN JAVIER - The Korean world champion Haeng Jik Kim had made a long, grueling trip, he told before the start of the World Championship in San Javier. Forty hours of traveling from Seoul with stops in China (Beijing) and Madrid. He had caught a little cold as well and certainly was not top fit.
But yet the start of the triple champion was good enough and he's considered as the big favorite. Kim showed high class from the get-go in his match against the Ecuadorian Pedro Reyes, but then lost his second to David Martinez.
The recovery of that small hickup was impressive: the Korean played a marvellous match against Japanese Yusuke Mori (25-13) with a final run of fifteen.
Haeng Jik Kim demonstrated that he is in the form to prolong his title again. ,,I could postpone my military service in Korea for a year may'', he said. ,,That's why I could train many hours for this World Championship.''
He has exchanged his domicile in Ludwigshafen (Germany) again for Seoul. And with his form of the World Cup in Korea, he came to San Javier, where the Spaniards Martinez and Zapata are his main competitors.
His final run of fifteen, this afternoon, nevertheless has warned his rivals: Haeng Jik Kim is the number one contender.
,,I felt not that good on the first day and even in the match against Mori I did not start with a lot of confidence. My opponent had a better kick-off, but during the run of fifteen my confidence was growing.''
The Korean trailed 13-10 in eleven innings and then suddenly ran to the finish with his fifteen-in-one.
David Martinez won the group after a victory over Pedro Reyes: 25-15 in 27 innings.
The other Spaniard, David Zapata, had a spectacular start in his third match against Ji Hoon Sun: with runs of 7, 4 and 3 he was 14-1 ahead. The match eventually took fifteen innings (25-16).
The Dutchman Raymon Groot finished second in this group and advanced to the best eight: he defeated Manuel Lindao 25-20 in 29 innings.