Six Champions Crowned at Shanghai Disability Snooker Invitational

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Six champions from three different nations won titles at the second staging of the Shanghai Disability Snooker Invitational in Shanghai, China last weekend.

The arena in Shanghai with eight tables in play

The event was organised in conjunction with the Shanghai Billiards Association (SHBA), with whom WDBS signed a memorandum of understanding in March 2024, and with support from WDBS Director Da Chen.

A combination of cueists from China and international invitees made up a field of 31 players who competed across six classification groups at the two-day event.

A wheelchair player attempts a long yellow with the rest while the referee looks on over his shoulder

The tournament was preceded by a special welcome banquet at the Steel Convention & Expo Centre where the event was formally opened by Miss Xue Sasa, Vice Governor of the Baoshan District, alongside key officials from the Shanghai and Baoshan District government and the Shanghai Billiards and Snooker Association.

Among those in attendance at the formal opening of the event were WPBSA Chairman Jason Ferguson, who delivered a keynote speech, as well as former world champions Stephen Hendry and John Higgins.

The opening ceremony including WPBSA Chairman Jason Ferguson and former world champions Stephen Hendry and John Higgins

On the baize, it was Thailand who saw the most success as their cueists picked up the gold medal in three of the six competitions held across the weekend.

There was success for a duo of 2023 World Abilitysport Games bronze medalists in Group’s 1 and 2 as Numpol Thongpusawan and Surasit Loisaratrakul overcame Gary Swift and Tony Southern to secure the title and gain revenge on the Englishmen, who had both defeated them in the semi-finals of the Games back in December.

Surasit Loisaratrakul and Tony Southern receive their trophies for reaching the final of Group 2

Boonmark Voranipit made it a hat-trick of gold medals for Thailand by defeating England’s David Church 2-0 in the final of Group 4 – bouncing back from defeat to Church in the initial group phase to earn the title.

Poland’s Adam Wilk picked up the sole gold medal for a European cueist as he beat Hong Kong China’s Andy Lam in a tense deciding frame of the Group 3 final, while there were titles from two Chinese players as Lu Yun and Yang Junhui defeated fellow countrymen Xue Wen and Mo Quanhu on home soil to win the gold in Group’s 5 and 6.

Two finalists receive their trophies in Shanghai

WDBS would like to thank the Shanghai Disabled Persons’ Federation, Baoshan District, Shanghai Sports Federation, Shanghai Billiards Association, Baoshan Disabled Persons’ Federation, Baoshan Sports Association, Guizhou Weboo Sports Co., Ltd, Lushan Hengkang Slate Co., Ltd and all the co-organisers for their support with the 2nd Shanghai Disability Invitational.

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