SEOUL - The World Cup three-cushion in Seoul goes to the finals with four Europeans (Jaspers, Merckx, Horn and Tasdemir), two Koreans (JT Kim, Myung Woo Cho) and two Vietnamese (Tran and Bao). This Saturday night in South Korea, in the Western European morning, it comes to a clash with the best eight in the World Cup where the level is improbably high. Korean Myung Woo Cho shone after Jun Tae Kim's 28 this early Saturday with a run of 21, Martin Horn with 16 and Dick Jaspers was the top winner in the round with the best 16 players: 50 in 17. The Dutchman beat Haeng Jik Kim of Korea with clear figures: 50-20 in 17/16.
The highlight early Saturday was the Korean clash between Myung Woo Cho and Jung Han Heo. The two home players had a wonderful start with Myung Woo Cho hitting a run of 21 in the second inning (22-4 in 2) and Heo answering with 12 (22-16 in 3). The match faltered for a while after that great start (36-18 in 14), but after a 9 from Heo and 6 from Cho, the score ran first to 49-47 and even to 49-49 in the very last part. Heo missed the first match ball at that score, Cho finished with 1 for 50-49 in 27.
Two of four Koreans and two of the three Belgians have been eliminated. Only Eddy Merckx advances to the top eight for Belgium in Seoul after his victory over Colombian Daniel Morales (50-38 in 33/32). Roland Forthomme, who with Eddy Merckx and Peter Ceulemans gave the Belgians a fantastic World Cup experience, was played out of the tournament by Tayfun Tasdemir (50-38 in 33), Ceulemans lost to Phuong Vinh Bao (50-45 in 29) earlier in the day by a minimal score. The only Belgian who went on was Eddy Merckx, who had a tough match against Daniel Morales, but turned another strong final shot into a win with his final reputation: 50-38 in 33.
Dick Jaspers went on to win against Haeng Jik Kim, who had ensured the elimination of Glenn Hofman on Friday. Jaspers was sovereign in the match with the Korean: he led 16-6 in five innings, ran out with a run of 10 to 29-13 and finished with 9 in the 17th inning: 50-20. Martin Horn played a magnificent match against Sameh Sidhom. The German opened the attack with 10 in the 11th inning (22-10) and immediately with 16 two innings later (38-11). That was the early decision in the match for Horn (50-27 in 21). Jun Tae Kim and Myung Woo Cho remained for home country South Korea in the battle for the podium. Jun Tae Kim beat Vietnamese Van Ly Dao 50-38 in 22/21 after an early run of 11.
Phuong Vinh Bao led 18-7 in the 10th inning against Peter Ceulemans, but after strong counters from the Belgian, the score was 36-29 in the 20th inning. The final part was decisive for the win: Ceulemans could take control at 45-32, but Bao finished with 5 and in the last two innings even with 7 and 4 for a final score 50-45 in 29. Quyet Chien Tran went into the quarter-finals as the second Vietnamese to win over Tolgahan Kiraz 50-30 in 22/21.
Myung Woo Cho after his run of 21, winner in the final after 49-49 against Jung Han Heo
Phuong Vinh Bao, one of two Vietnamese in the final 8
Dick Jaspers, the best of 8 winners in the last 16 against Haeng Jik Kim
Eddy Merckx outplayed the last South American, Daniel Morales
Tayfun Tasdemir the better of Roland Forthomme
Quyet Chien Tran, new golden race after World Cup in Veghel?
Jun Tae Kim, one of the stars in this World Cup, still in the race for gold
Daniel Morales, the last of the South Americans, outplayed by Merckx
Scheduled matches in the quarter-finals are:
8.30 in Western Europe:
Cho-Bao
Jaspers-Horn
11.00:
Merckx-Tasdemir
JT Kim-Tran