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Ruth Segura (Colombia): known in billiards and social works

12/28/2020

Published by frits bakker

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© © Kozoom
Colombian lady Ruth Segura when playing in New York and other events outside Colombia

BOGOTÁ - The name of Ruth Segura, 52 years of age, is not only known in billiards in Colombia. The sympathetic, blond lady from Bogotá was among others a classical ballet dancer, a model and an activist in animal protection. The modest billiard career brought her to the Carom Cafe in New York, the World Cup in Medellin and Pan American performances, in daily life Ruth worked in a women's prison and a social worker with abandoned children.

Ruth Segura Ramirez was among the world's players in Jennifer Shim International in the Carom Café in New York a few times. There, and visiting other locations, she met Raymond Ceulemans, Dick Jaspers, Marco Zanetti, the best ladies players and other famous players. Kozoom spoke with this remarkable lady in these hard days of COVID-19. ,,Very important for me to give love and happiness to all athletes, that makes me more human.''

Passport:
Name: Ruth Segura Ramirez
Age: 52
Residence: Bogotá, Colombia
Married to: Luis Carlos Dorado
Billiard clubs: Club 8, Club Praga, Club Internacional
Career: Classical ballet dancer, professional model, activist in animal protection, assistant of Redpaa, protection abandoned animals
Profession: social worker, worked in women's prison, Simon Bolivar, hospital, Family Welfare Institute, work with abandoned children,
I complement my life with labor and social aid and animal protection.
Best results in billiards: Many tournament participations, 1st, 2nd and 3rd places. Most famous tournaments: Jennifer Shim International in Carom Cafe, New York, World Cup in Medellin, Pan American Open tournament

Kozoom/Frits Bakker: Why is Ruth Segura such a well-known name in billiards?
Ruth Segura: Because I was one of the first women to start playing billiards in Colombia, when women still were forbidden to enter billiard rooms. I am a 3-cushion player because of my love for billiards and people in general. I travel for my own economic means, not only to play, but to raise the level of Latin American women's billiards, to promote, encourage and show the best face of billiards. This sport is a big family, we all speak the same language which is billiards. There is no discrimination at all, I always meet billiards friends with the flag of love. And it's very important for me to give love and happiness to all other athletes, which makes me more human.

Kozoom/FB: Which famous events dit you play outside Colombia?
Ruth Segura: I played in Medellin World Cup, Jennifer Shim 2015 and 2017, Pan American for ladies in Peru 2016 and Mexico 2018 and Peru 2019.

Kozoom/FB: Did you live in Bogotá, Colombia your entire life?
Ruth Segura: Most of my life in Bogotá, but in the last six years I have moved between Bogotá and Mexico City.

Kozoom/FB: At what age did you start playing billiards?
Ruth Segura: I have been playing billiards for about 30 years, but I retired in between for 7 years to study my profession as a social worker. Then I resumed billiards. From the start I played in the Emperor club of the very esteemed Celisbrothers to whom I owe their patronage. Then the billiard room changed its name, it's now called Rockefeller Club.

Kozoom/FB: How important is billiards in your very variated life?
Ruth Segura: Billiards is my way of life, my passion, it is the axis of my whole life, my main motivation, my number 1 priority.

Kozoom/FB: How is billiards doing in Colombia in these times of COVID-19?
Ruth Segura: Due to the pandemic, there were no activities, the billiard rooms were closed due to the risk of contagion. Three months ago, players and owners of billiard rooms got together and held a protest in the streets to demand from the mayor of Bogotá that the billiard rooms could be opened with all security measures to avoid health risks. Because the economic crisis, it was was unsustainable.

Kozoom/FB: Who are the current top players in this crazy billiard country now?
Ruth Segura: There are many figures in billiards in Colombia. The players have stood out in recent years for their good national and international level. And new young exponents of this sport have emerged that represent us in the different modalities of billiards, especially three cushion. Some of them are Robinson Morales, Juan Jose Garcia, Huberney Cataño, Pedro Gonzalez, Henry Diaz, Daniel Morales, and his brother Santiago, Alejandro Piza, Arley Castrillon and many more. The list is very long.

Kozoom/FB: What is the position of billiards on the ranking of most popular sports in Colombia?
Ruth Segura: There is a great popular love for billiards, but more information and support is needed, because the hugh support is for other sports such as soccer and cycling.

Kozoom/FB: Is the Colombian federation willing to organize new big events? The last World Championship was in Bogotá, 1999 (winner Frédéric Caudron), the last World Cups in 2000 and 2001(winner Semih Sayginer) and Medellin, 2013 (Caudron).
Ruth Segura: There is a lot of will and desire for important events to be held in Colombia, but there is a lack of support from both the government and private companies.

Kozoom/FB: How does a day in a big club in Bogotá looks like? How many tables, how many players every part of the day, many friendly tournaments?
Ruth Segura: Before the pandemic, billiard rooms were full throughout the day, and on Friday and Saturday the number of players increased. But as the result of this new situation, there was a mandatory closure and it was not possible to play for about three months. We all wanted to enter, but there are restrictions. The smallest billiard hall in Colombia has an average of 5 tables, and there are others that have up to 20 tables. Friendly tournaments always are organized.

Kozoom/FB: You played a tournament for ladies these days and you were in top four, who won the event?
Ruth Segura: The tournament was won by Sandy Duran, a new and very good talent in women's billiards in Colombia.

Kozoom/FB: Julián Torres won a major tournament last week. He would like to play World Cups in Europe. What chance does he have to realize his ambitions?
Ruth Segura: That depends on the support that the leagues, the federation and the government want to give to the players and the procedures that the players have to do to be supported. The entity that supports players is called Coldeportes, which should support all sports disciplines.

Thank you Ruth for the nice view in your life, career and inside Colombian billiards. Thanks Merrill Hughes for your help.

Ruth Segura with the legend in billiards, Raymond Ceulemans, five years ago

Ruth Segura in New York Carom Cafe with Sruong Pheavy, one of the world's lady top players

 

 

 

 

 

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