Penangite Makes M'sia Proud By Becoming 1st Malaysian To Win World Snooker Championship
The competition was held in Antalya, Turkey, on Friday, 11 November.
Homegrown talent 27-year-old Lim Kok Leong has put Malaysia on the map once again by becoming the first ever Malaysian to take home the crown at the World Amateur Snooker Championship 2022, on Friday, 11 November
According to Bernama, the Penang native defeated his competitor, Iranian Amir Sarkhosh, with a stunning score of 5-0 (68-63, 67-42, 78-0, 80-7, 73-54) in the finals.
Winning the championship has earned Lim the prestigious title of World Amateur Champion and cleared him a spot next to snooker legends such as England's Jimmy White, Stuart Bingham, and Mark Allen, as well as Thailand's James Wattana, Ireland's Ken Doherty, and Scotland's Stephen Maguire.
The International Billiards & Snooker Federation reported that Lim played fearlessly while still confidently entertaining spectators with his shots.
Lim (second from the left) and his opponent for the final round, Amir Sarkhosh (second from the right) from Iran.
Image via International Billiards & Snooker Federation (Facebook)
Lim (centre) standing in first place at the winner's podium beside runner-up Amir Sarkhosh from Iran (left of Lim), and second runner-up Robin Hull (right of Lim) from Finland.
Image via International Billiards & Snooker Federation (Facebook)
The Malaysian cueist professed his gratitude at the recognition he has received for his achievements in the snooker field
The 27-year-old was even congratulated by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, saying that Lim has proven that Malaysia is capable of producing world-class athletes.
"It means a lot to me to get this kind of recognition, especially from the Agong, as we are from a small and struggling sport. I want to dedicate this win to the country and to our sport (fraternity) as we have never won this before," said Lim.
According to New Straits Times, while he is thankful for all the commendation he has received, Lim still feels like he is not ready to take on the professional World Snooker Tour (WST) yet.
"I don't feel that I'm ready yet. I was in very good form in Antalya though that does not mean I am perfect."
"There's still a lot of room for improvement and I think I want to focus on playing as an amateur for maybe another two or three years. Once you step up to the world tour, you will immediately be playing against the very best players, so I need to make sure I am ready. It also costs a lot to compete on the tour," Lim told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
Lim posing with his trophy and medal at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
Image via New Straits Times
Despite feeling like he's not ready for the big leagues just yet, the talented cueist has won many snooker competitions over the years
In May, Lim also brought home gold in the men's 6-red singles event and a silver medal in the 15-red singles event at the 31st SEA Games held in Vietnam.
To add to his accolades, Lim and his partner Moh Keen Ho also bagged the title for the World Men's Team Snooker Championship in October, reclaiming their title for when they achieved the same feat in 2015 in Karachi, Pakistan.
After being so long on the road, the husband and father of two is looking forward to travelling back to Penang to spend some time with his family.
Congratulations, Lim! You made Malaysia proud!
Image via @peanuts/GIPHY
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