Local pool sharpshooters on form at championship

Taiwan's pool players are making a big impression at the 2002 World Championship in Cardiff, Great Britain.

Six Taiwan players have qualified for the Round of 64, including Chung Chien-te (鍾前德), who earlier in the week beat world champion Mika Immonen.

The 31-year old, known to his fans as the "Monster," qualified from a tough group which included Immonen and Ramil Gallego.

He is now slated to face Panchiao's Hung Lu-kung (洪祿恭), who qualified from group 11 and is known as the "Kiss King."

Arguably Taiwan's best player, 24-year-old Yang Ching-shun (楊清順) from Kaohsiung also made it through to the Round of 64.

The 2002 World Championship number four seed and last year's Akira Games champion is known as the "Son of Pool" and has said the secret of his success was to be "calm during competitions but not during [my] spare time."

"The Tien Kung Missile" Lee Kun-fang (李昆芳), who is the No. 12 seed, also made it through, as did Chen "Mystical Man" Wei-chih (陳維知) from Kaohsiung and Huang Kun-chang (黃琨璋).

Nine Taiwan players originally entered the event, more players than any other country bar England, the US and the Philippines.

The competition features former snooker world champion Steve Davis, Cliff Thorburn and Mark Williams.

No. 1 seed Oliver Ortman, Germany's Ralf Souquet, pool legend Earl Strickland, Immonen and Taiwan's Yang are now the favorites to win the competition.

On the Web: www.worldpoolchampionship.com