Three Kim's on top of the ranks

SUWON - Three players with a run of eleven, a highest general average of 1.823, eleven players with the maximum match points: that's the result of one playing day at the World Cup in Suwon, where the first 36 players battled for twelve spots in the next round.

Three Kim's were on top of the ranks after today's session: Young Chull averaged 1.666 overall, Hyung Kon 1.538 and Hyun-Suk 1.363.

The player with the best start, Dong-Ryong Kim, spoiled in his second match one set, but finished after his 3.000 in the first match 1.832 overall.

He was also one three players that ran an eleven, the two others were Tae Soo Lim and In Su Park, of whom the last missed the qualification due to a loss in his group. He can only hope for two missing players for the second day.

The level of the first day was very high, especially in Group K, where Tae Hyun Lee, Chun Ho Han and Jong Won Kim met in a tough fight. Lee, who entered the next round as the twelfth player, finished as winner in his group with 1.700, his two rivals won one match as well, but had a minor average.

Also a very strong group was Group D with Sang Pil Um, Jae Young You and Sang Ku Kang with averages of 1.258, 1.225 and 1.066. The poor Kang finished without any match point, but with 1.225 average.

Young Chull Kim was leading the ranking after the series of matches on the first day. He defeated Young Min Lee and Hyun Jun Kim without being in troubles and with 60 caroms in 36 innings.

Tomorrow (Tuesday) he is qualified in a group with the Japanese Kiyota and Hayashi. Hyung Kon Kim, who finished second overall, will face Yusuke Mori and Vietnamese Dinh Tien Dang. Young Chull Kim plays in a group against Lim Jeong Wan and Japanese artistic billiard player Sasaki.

The matches will start at 10.00 Korean time.

The qualified players after one day are:
1 Young Chull Kim (1.666)
2 Hyung Kon Kim (1.538)
3 Hyun Suk Kim (1.363)
4 Kyung-Nam Ko (1.276)
5 Seop Jin Yi (1.052)
6 Dong-Ryong Kim (1.823)
7 Chan Guk Jung (1.288)
August Sang Pil Um (1.258)
9 Sam Il Seo (1.014)
10 Nam Ho Sin (1.322)
11 Tae Soo Lim (1.269)
12 Tae Hyun Lee (1.700).