Lyceum International schoolboy Thaha wins championship
Young Mohamed Thaha of MICH emerged champion at the Colombo District Snooker tournament when he defeated Samil Ameen of Sea Endless by four frames to two in the seven frame final played at the Moors SC billiards table at Braybrooke Place.
In the process, the 17-year-old youngster, a grade eleven student of Lyceum International School Wattala overcame experienced players in the run up to clinch his first major snooker title.
The seven frame final saw Thaha winning the first frame to take the lead, but Ameen fought back to make it one each. However, Thaha unruffled, came back with a vengeance by taking the third and fourth frames which included a break of 52 which was the highest of the tournament.
Though Ameen reduced the lead by winning the fifth frame, Thaha pulled off an easy win in the sixth frame to come out victorious which assured him of the title.
Earlier, Thaha coasted to easy wins in the quarter and semi final encounters while Ameen underwent some anxious moments in his semi final clash which went to the wire before prevailing 3-2 in the five frame encounter.
Meanwhile, the Kandy and Galle district snooker tournament which was held concurrently saw Fauzan Hussain of Pyramid Snooker Parlour (PSP) coming out victorious defeating Suranga Perera of Garden Club with M. Izak and D. John both of PSP securing third and fourth slots.
In the Galle district tournament, Samantha Liyanage of YMBA clinched the title when he overcame H.
Kanishka Priyantha (8BPP) beat M.M.F. Aflal (MICH) 2-1 (42/56, 45/12, 60/7). Mohamed Thaha (MICH) beat T.D. Maduranga (Army) 2-0 (65/20, 53/22). Riyaz Noor (The Cue) beat Azeem Hinoon (MICH) 2-1 (69/9, 34/52, 61/5). Samil Ameen (Sea Endless) beat R.M.K. Ratnayake (Army) 2-0 (67/29, 69/24).
Mohamed Thaha (MICH) beat Kanishka Priyantha (8BPP) 3-0 (59/38, 61/34, 63/61). Samil Ameen (Sea Endless) beat Riyaz Noor (The Cue) 3-2 (56/36, 68/59, 31/52, 52/59, 71/32).
Riyaz Noor (The Cue) beat Kanishka Priyantha (8BPP) 2-1 (54/30, 29/55, 55/41).
Mohamed Thaha (MICH) beat Samil Ameen (Sea Endless) 4-2 (60/49, 23/71, 65/16, 53/13, 30/65, 66/3). Wimalaratne of Galle CC.
The completion of the Colombo District Snooker tournament will see cueists who qualified for the pre-quarter finals being eligible to participate in the All Island Lanka Championship which is the last qualifying tournament to book the berth to the 65th National Snooker Championship which is scheduled to be played in late December at the same venue. The Nuwara Eliya district tournament was in progress.
The All Island Lanka Plate which is due to get underway next week will see the 16 cueists who qualified for the pre- quarter finalists of the Colombo District tournament along with the top four Kandy cueists and the top two from the Galle and Nuwara Eliya districts being eligible to contest.