Eyes On The Prize As Gilchrist Racks Wins

World No. 1 clinches hat-trick of titles over eight days, but keeps focus on world championship

- Deepanraj Ganesan

Singapore's billiards ace Peter Gilchrist has just completed a hat-trick of titles in eight days, with his New Zealand Open victory on Sept 14 coming off the back of triumphs at the Auckland Open and Sydney Open. But he is in no mood for celebrations.

The focus has immediately shifted to the Oct 13-16 World Billiards Championship in England. As the 57-year-old would tell you, he has not quite shaken off the disappointment of the 2024 edition.

Then, the five-time world champion had lost to England's Robert Hall in the semi-finals at the Landywood Snooker Club in Walsall.

It is a defeat that still stings.

"I've won the world championship a few times, so I didn't think last year's loss would mean much, but it did," Gilchrist told The Straits Times.

"I think about it a lot and I am glad that now we are only about a month away from it. When you lose, you've got to wait a full year without being world champion.

"Billiards isn't in the Olympics and I really dread to think what it would be like if you didn't win the gold medal, and then you've got to wait four years for the next chance. That must be an absolute nightmare.