ANTWERP - 70 -year-old Portuguese player Mario Aranha and 21 -year-old Venezuelan William Villanueva are two extremes at the World championships in Antwerp. The one with a long history as a three cushion player and one cushion in his country. It is his first participation at this world championship.
The young South American Villanueva, who lives in San Antonio, also takes part for the first time on the global stage.
Mario Aranha won his first Portuguese three cushion title this year by defeating Manuel Rui Costa in the final match 50-24 in 28. Before Aranha was once one cushion champion.
His predecessors as national title holders three cushion were amongst others Mário Machado, Dr. Jorge Theriaga (19 times champion of his country), Mario Ribeiro, who has passed away and Manuel Rui Costa.
This year, the old master Aranha killed two birds with one stone by winning the Portugese title. He received his first ticket for a World championship in his long career.
His best result ever was a top eight place in a World Cup. ,,That was a highlight in my career, because I defeated Semih Sayginer and Eddy Leppens'', says the Portuguese bank employee.
William Villanueva thanks his ticket for the World championship to his third place at the Pan American championships, behind Pedro Piedrabuena and Huberney Catano. Two times he was in top ten at the Junior World championships.
Villanueva faces O Takeshima and Filippos Kasidokostas in the preliminary rounds of this championship.
Mario Aranha shows up in the group with Sameh Sidhom and Martin Horn.