Doha: A galaxy of pool players, led by defending champion Thorsten Hohmann of Germany, will battle it out in Stage Two of the 2014 World 9-ball Championship (W9BC) that kicks off at Al Sadd Stadium here today.
Hohmann, who rallied from behind to defeat Antonio Gabica of the Philippines 13-7 to win last year’s championship, is one of the 128 players vying for the top crown in the $200,000 tournament.
Besides the top ranked players, 14 players from Stage One have made it to the business end of the tournament.
The qualifiers were Elvis Calasang, Elmer Haya, Francisco Felicilda, Ramil Gallego, Raymund Faraon, Warren Kiamco, Kuribayashi Tohru, Ohi Naoyukim, Akagariyama Yukio, Liu Cheng Chieh, Cheng Yu Hsuan, Ko Pin Chung, Vilmos Foldes and Denis Grabe.
Host Qatar’s challenge will be led by Bashar Hussain, Mohd Al Bin Ali, Meshel Turkey, Waleed Majed, Ali Obaidly and Israel Rota.
Qatar has the rights to host the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) championship consecutively till 2017.
The winner of this year’s championship will receive $30,000. The runner-up will get $15,000.
In the group round, the players will be divided into 16 groups of eight players each. Four players from each group will advance into the Last 64 final round.
THE PENINSULA
