Highfield bounces back to make debut
LIAM HIGHFIELD makes his Crucible debut today but feared his career was over when Crohn’s disease left him hospitalised for a month last year.
The 27-year-old lost almost three stone as the inflammatory bowel condition struck him hard, forcing him to undergo a succession of blood transfusions.
When he takes on Northern Ireland’s Mark Allen in the first round of the Betfred World Championship, it will confirm a remarkable change in his fortunes.
‘I got diagnosed with Crohn’s about three years ago,’ Highfield said. ‘My first flare was pretty bad but my second flare I had three blood transfusions, a month in hospital, I went from 12 and a half stone to nine stone 12 in three weeks.
‘They thought they were going to have to take my bowel out and give me a [colostomy] bag, so it’s nice to just play snooker now.
‘I went nine weeks without hitting a ball and four months without any competition. You doubt anyway, and with that on top I thought maybe it’s the time to chuck it because so much is against me but I like to think I’m a bit stronger than that.
‘I came out of hospital not being able to walk through illness. I was so stripped down. Not a lot of people know how bad it is. Ali Carter obviously does because he’s got it but it’ll be emotional out there on Sunday.’
Meanwhile, the opening day of the championship threw up a massive shock as qualifer Joe Perry beat defending champion Mark Selby 10-4.
Ronnie O’Sullivan is also in danger of going out when he resumes this morning. He strung together three frames in quick succession against Stephen Maguire, making back-to-back 118 and 110 breaks to take his Crucible career total to 164 centuries. But he lost the last two frames of the session to fall 6-3 behind.