Kicker: Nguyện (first from right) wins bronze in the semi-final of UMB World Three-cushion Champ. — Photo nld.com.vn |
HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam’s top carom billiards player Nguyễn Quốc Nguyện won a bronze medal of UMB World Three-cushion Championship, held yesterday in Egypt.
Nguyện lost in the semi-final to Jeremy Bury from France, ranked 20th in the UMB.
Nguyện started the semi-final smoothly and led 15/7, then 16/11, but failed to capitalise.
Many fans hoped he would beat Bury so for the first time in history Việt Nam had a player in the final of the tournament. Last year, Mã Minh Cẩm also finished third.
Coach Nguyễn Việt Hòa said many Vietnamese players had a good start but lost eventually as “losing nerve and confidence after once and twice broken turns and then lost focus”.
Meanwhile, Bury took an upturn at 33/16, scoring 22 points.
Nguyện’s later efforts only got him four more points before accepting the loss.
Previously, Bury also beat another top Vietnamese player Trần Quyết Chiến in the quarter-final.
However, after the tournament, Chiến and Nguyện still entered the top 10 of the World UMB list, with Chiến eighth and Nguyện ninth. — VNS