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Al-Ahram Weekly 14 - 20 October 1999 Issue No. 451 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 14 - 20 October 1999 Issue No. 451
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Books Features Profile Travel Living Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters 'In a few years...'
By Dalia El-HennawyRodney Greggins from the Republic of Ireland won and the Egyptians faded in the closing stages in an under-21 world snooker championship held in Egypt. Five Egyptians reached round 32 in the country's first-ever international billiard championship but Egypt's No 1 player Amr Shoukry, accompanied by Mohamed Samy, El-Sayed El-Khodeiry, Mohamed Zaqzouq and Hussein El-Sokkary could go no farther. Samy did manage to win the highest number of break points in the tournament with 124.
Eleven Egyptians in total was the highest entry of any country in the 45-player, 20-nation event staged in a hotel near the pyramids. "I'm very impressed with the organisation and the hospitality shown in this tournament," Greggins said following his victory. "This is a very good venue and it was very exciting at night with a very interested crowd coming to watch." Greggins, who said his match with India's Mandria Chandra was the hardest, had high praise for Egypt's players. "It's very clear that with the experience gained from the tournament Egyptian players will have something to say in a few years. Egypt is a very a historic place and I wish they would host the tournament here again."
Egypt's Mohamed Amer managed some damage control by taking third place in an over-21 tournament, the All-Africa Snooker Championship, held on the sidelines of the main show. South Africans Munir Qassim and Warren Horsley finished first. "I wish I could have achieved a better ranking, but I hope to do better next time," Amer said.
"Snooker is becoming more and more popular worldwide," Amer said. "It is our intention to show the importance of snooker throughout the world especially here in Egypt where the sport is not supported enough financially. Someone lucky like myself has their own billiard table to practice on," he added.
Horsley, ranked in world's top 32 players, has been playing professionally since 1994. "All of you have been very helpful," he said. "The way this tournament was organised was far better than in South Africa and some other places I've been to. This is a fantastic city."
