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 Photo: P SAWANT/AFP/Getty Images
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SPORT Youngest snooker champ Cue sport had given India five world champions till 2003 -- Wilson Jones (1958 and 1964, billiards), Michael Ferreira (1977, 1981, 1983, billiards), Om Agarwal (1984, snooker), Manoj Kothari (1990, billiards), and, of course, Geet Sethi (1985, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1998, 2001, billiards). Young Pankaj Advani added his name to that list when he surprised a distinguished field to win the World Snooker Championship in Jiangmen, China, on October 25. In doing so, he brought home the coveted crown won by Om Agarwal in 1984 after 19 years. The 18-year-old Bangalore collegian, who says his first love is billiards, beat second seed Saleh Mohammad of Pakistan by 11 frames to 6 in the final to emerge triumphant. The experienced, 30-year-old Pakistani ran the Indian national champion neck and neck in the first session, which ended 5-5, but was left a mute spectator after the break as Advani allowed him just a solitary frame before winning the best-of-21 frames final 35-64, 7-79, 73-10, 66-56, 46-59, 87-13, 81-43, 71-13, 0-95, 15-93, 64-36, 78-33, 43-47, 135-0, 65-46, 70-67, 63-22 to become the youngest world snooker champion. Text: Ivan Crasto
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