BOGÓTA - The rankings in the Colombian World Cup stronghold were dominated by Europeans, by far the best of 12 winners was Peter Ceulemans at the star gala onwards to the main draw. The Belgian, with the most imposing name in billiard history, played a brilliant qualification round in Bogóta World Cup on the decisive day before the real start. The rising star in billiards, so far still in the shadow of Caudron and Merckx in his own country, was sublime in his performance with 2.352 and high runs of 15 and 14 in one game. The rankings on the final day were strikingly European with nine Europeans eclipsing the rest on the world stage. The Colombian homeland, praised for its many billiard talents, played no role at all in the four-day preliminary stage to the real World Cup.
Three Koreans only with Haeng Jik Kim being the best known, could hold their own in a mixed company of 12 winners devoid of South Americans and Vietnamese, with two Turks (Berkay Karakurt and Gökhan Salman), one Belgian (Peter Ceulemans), one Dutchman (Glenn Hofman), one Frenchman (Jérémy Bury), one Spaniard (Ruben Legazpi), one Swede (Torbjörn Blomdahl), one Portuguese (Rui Costa) and one Greek (Nick Polychronopoulos). Those 12 of the table were joined by three numbers two: one Dutchman, one Belgian and one Vietnamese. The first Colombian finished in place 17: Jose Juan Garcia.
The shuffle led to the main field with 32, who were divided at the draw into eight groups of four from which the best two go to the knockout stage with 16. The standout matches from the first rounds:
Peter Ceulemans-Roland Forthomme (16:00 European time)
Eddy Merckx-Jean Paul de Bruijn (16.00)
Quyet Chien Tran-Phuong Vinh Bao (16.00)
Jun Tae Kim-Glenn Hofman (18.00)
Martin Horn-Haeng Jik Kim (18.00)
Sameh Sidhom-Torbjörn Blomdahl (18.00).
The start of the final group stage in the Western European schedule is at 16.00, with the final matches at 2.00 in the European night.
The most striking match from the last qualification was Peter Ceulemans against Carlos Crespo. The Belgian started modestly with 5 in 5, but then exploded with 15 in the 6th inning and finished with 14 in the last: 40-18 in 15. That was not yet the best match of the day. That game came in the name of Jean Paul de Bruijn and Glenn Hofman in the spicy Dutch clash: 40-33 in 13 with averages of 3.076 for De Bruijn and 2.538 for Hofman. De Bruijn started with 6, four times nil and 6 again. He laid the foundation for victory with a 9 in the 8th inning for a score 26-18. Glenn Hofman had a game with only one zero score.
The crucial matches for placement:
X Jean Paul de Bruijn and Glenn Hofman played the best match of the day. De Bruijn won, but then lost to Segio Jimenez and goes into the main tournament as the best number 2.
X Berkay Karakurt beat Mikaël Devogelaere 40-38 in 24 innings.
X Torbjörn Blomdahl was a solid winner against two Turks, Kilicaslan and Rahmet, who drew against each other.
X Apart from Crespo, Peter Ceulemans also won against Muharrem Peker 40-20 in 19, good for averages 2.666 and 2.105.
X Jérémy Bury was the much better player against Turgay Orak with 40-11 in 19.
X Nick Polychronopoulos lost 40-39 to Jose Juan Garcia, but placed in the group with further Sam van Etten on average: 1,519.
X Ruben Legazpi left two Dutchmen behind: Jeffrey Jorissen and Huub Wilkowski. The Dutchmen themselves opened with a score 40-39 for Jorissen.
X Two Koreans were too strong for Pierre Soumagne: Myeong Jong Cha won the group with 1,904.
X Portuguese routine player Manuel Rui Costa left a Vietnamese and a Korean behind.
X Gökhan Salman and Roland Forthomme both won against Birol Uymaz, the previous day winner: 40-39 and 40-37. Salman won the group, Forthomme went to the top three runners-up.
The final standings of the final qualifiers and the three runners-up:
- Peter Ceulemans 4-2,352-15
- Myeong Jong Cha 4-1,904-8
- Jérémy Bury 4-1.632-14
- Ruben Legazpi 4-1,632-8
- Berkay Karakurt 4-1,632-6
- Gökhan Salman 4-1,600-8
- Torbjörn Blomdahl 4-1,481-7
- Rui Manuel Costa 4-1,403-8
- Haeng Jik Kim 4-1,194-9
- Ja In Kang 4-1,159-7
- Glenn Hofman 2-2,147-7
- Nick Polychronopoulos 2-1,519-8
Runners-up:
Jean Paul de Bruijn 2-1,800-10
Roland Forthomme 2-1,450-10
Duc Minh Tran 2-1,448-7
The eight groups for the first day of the main draw:
Group A: Dick Jaspers, Duc Minh Tran, Myeong Jong Cha, Erick Tellez
Group B: Myung Woo Cho, Huberney Cataño, Peter Ceulemans, Roland Forthomme
Group C: Eddy Merckx, Jean Paul de Bruijn, Hong-Chiem Thai, Pedro Gonzalez
Group D: Quyet Chien Tran, Phuong Vinh Bao, Jérémy Bury, Nick Polychronopoulos
Group E: Jun Tae Kim, Glenn Hofman, Tolgahan Kiraz, Ruben Legazpi
Group F: Marco Zanetti, Ja In Kang, Thanh Luc Tran, Berkay Karakurt
Group G: Martin Horn, Haeng Jik Kim, Tayfun Tasdemir, Gökhan Salman,
Group H: Jung Han Heo, Rui Manuel Costa, Sameh Sidhom, Torbjörn Blomdahl.
Myeong Jong Cha from Korea, second best following Peter Ceulemans
Torbjörn Blomdahl, not among the best, but qualified with two wins
Jean Paul de Bruijn, best match winner and qualified as best runner up
Jérémy Bury, in a solid race to qualification
Haeng Jik Kim, one of three Koreans to the main draw
Glenn Hofman, loss to De Bruijn, qualified with over 2 average