Iranian cueists have won three medals, including one gold, at the first edition of Asian Billiard Sports Championship in the United Arab Emirates.
The cueists exhibited inspiring displays of agility and deliberation on Saturday, with Akram Mohammadi Amini participating in the Single Women 9-Ball Pool Games of the continental sporting event in Fujairah on the eastern coast of the UAE. She earned a bronze medal, having lost 2-9 to Chen Siming from China.
Her achievement brought an end to the Islamic Republic of Iran's years-long wait to clinch a medal in the women’s division of Asian championships.
It came a day after the Iranian men’s national snooker team of Amir Sarkhosh and Soheil Vahedi went down to the Pakistani pair Muhammad Asif and Babar Masih 3-1 (88-40, 76-14, 20-76, 74-15) to emerge runners-up of the men’s snooker team event.
Sarkhosh had earlier defeated Omar Alajlani of Saudi Arabia 5-3 in the final match of Single 15-Red event, and claimed a gold medal.
The Iranian sportsman had drubbed Pakistan’s Muhammad Asif 5-0 in the semifinal encounter.
The first edition of the Asian Billiard Sports Championship, organized by the Asian Confederation of Billiard Sports (ACBS) and hosted by the UAE Billiards & Snooker Association (UAEBSA), began in Fujairah on September 24 and will finish on October 2.
A total of 223 players from 17 countries are participating in the event, which has seen competition in 11 disciplines including English Billiards Men (100 Points Format), Carom One Cushion, Carom Three Cushion, 9 Ball Pool Men, 9 Ball Pool Women, 9 Ball Pool Double and Chinese 8 Ball. Others are Snooker Single Men (15 Reds), Snooker Team Men, Snooker Single Men (6 Reds) and Snooker Single Women (6 Reds).