Ga Young Kim - Yalin World 10-Ball Champion. Photography courtesy of Chito Ines.
Ga Young Kim celebrates a 4 year dream come true
Manila, Philippines- Korea's Ga Young Kim finally overcame her demons to claim World Championship glory for her country. Kim on her second appearance in the finals of the the Yalin Women's World 10-Ball Championship, faced last year's #1 in the world Siming Chen of China, and completely dominated the championship match. Kim's victory has put South Korea back on top of women's pool.
The Dragon Promotions produced 4th Annual Yalin Women's World 10-Ball Championship is the most followed women's event of the year. In the host country of the Philippines, it is the biggest female sporting event of the country. The event is supported by Asian table mammoth Yalin Billiards, advanced cue engineer OB Cues, long lasting Championship Tour Edition Cloth, top playing Aramith Balls, Tour Edition Chalk, and #1 TV network broadcaster ABS-CBN. Star Billiards and Pool & Billiard Magazine are also proud supporters. This year's edition will take place August 20th-24th once again at Robinson's Galleria Mall, which has now become synonymous for creating the dynamic atmosphere of the coveted championship. Robinson's Galleria is connected to the host hotel Crowne Plaza Galleria. With massive media and global networks covering the Yalin Women's World 10-Ball Championship, it will continue as still the biggest and most watched women's billiard event in the world.
In the semi-finals, China #1 Xiaofang Fu faced off with 19 year old Siming Chen for a spot into the finals. Neither had ever reached this far into this event. It was a tightly contested match, with Chen leading by 1 game margins throughout. But it was Fu's fatal scratch on the 7-Ball in game 14 where she had a chance to tie the match at 7. Instead Chen was given a sigh of relief and was able to close the rest of the match out at 9-6.
The bottom bracket featured an all Korea semi-final between Korea's #1 and #2 women with Ga Young Kim and Yu Ram Cha. The match was epic. Both women played superb with non-stop exciting jumps, kicks, powerful break shots, and awesome offensive firepower.
"This match is equal to watching two top pro men playing at a high level",said world men's champion Thorsten Hohmann who was commentating on the live TV match.
"Both ladies are playing at a high level. Neither wants to lose and both have a steely look of determination on their face. The shots they are making are incredible!", exclaimed Charlie Williams during the match.
Kim took the first game, but Cha came back with the next runout. Kim played a good safe in the 3rd game, but Cha called the 2-Ball in the corner pocket and made a fantastic kick shot and ran out the rest of the rack. Leading 3-1, Cha gave Kim a slim opportunity which Ga Young fully took and came back to level the score at 3-3. Cha made one costly error going for a 10-Ball combination instead of opting for a runout. She missed the combo and the tide turned again. Kim took the lead and at 5-4, Cha was able to break again and this time smacked a powerful break sending the cueball high in the air and landing perfectly in the center of the table. Pocketing a ball as well, the rack looked good for a runout to tie the match. But then the 3-Ball went 3 rails around the table and like an unlucky heat guided missile, hit the cueball perfectly to send it 3 feet away into the corner pocket. Kim ran out. Cha's next opportunity was off a safety , where Ga Young faced a jump shot with only 3 inches between her and the 1-Ball. Kim made an amazing jump just to hit the ball, and left Cha a length of the table shot on the 1-Ball, but with the cueball frozen to the 8-ball where she could only hit the top side of the white. Cha jacked up and speared the 1-ball in perfectly and made a tough cutshot next with a bridge and ran out! But a dry break next would be it for Cha. Kim was determined to get to the finals by 1% more than Cha, and she ran out and broke and ran the last rack.
"The final score of 9-5 is not even close to showing how great and tight that match really was", commented Yahoo Sports writer Bob Guerrero.
In the final match, China would face South Korea. China has had an army of strong top notch players, and Korea has produced perhaps not quite as many in quantity, but makes up for it in quality with gems such as Ga Young Kim, Yu Ram Cha, Yun Mi Lim, and Eun Ji Park.
The finals began with Kim continuing her lightning fast pace from her last match. She took the first 3 games in a blink of an eye. In about 15 minutes, she already commanded a 4-1 lead. Chen seemed overcome with the blitz of Kim and was never really able to shake her off. Chen pocketed some nice shots, but wasn't able to control her cueball well. Kim on the other hand, looked to be in supreme confidence at the table coming with every challenging shot and executing intricate safeties and positional play.
Ga Young Kim vs. Siming Chen lag for the break in the final match.
Leading eventually at 9-3, Chen was given another chance off a Kim safety. Chen made a nice carom shot off the 3-Ball sending the cueball down table off the short cushion and neatly hit the 10-Ball perfectly where she called , and pocketed it. Score was now 9-4 and the crowd cheered wildly hoping for a tighter contest. Chen then broke and ran the next making the audience hopeful for a comeback. But it was not to be, Chen made a positional error in the next rack and was forced to kick the 6-Ball. The effort was half hearted as the disappointment was apparent on her face from the earlier mistake. Kim faced the final 4 balls that stood in her way, and pocketed the first 3. As the cueball landed perfectly for the final 10-Ball shot, Kim showed her first emotion in the whole event by looking up to the sky, as if to say, this is what I've been fighting for the whole week. She pocketed the final shot and clenched her fist in the air in victory!
"I have improved my result from last year, so I am happy about that. I am getting closer", said Chen in the finalists speech.
"I really did not practice any more than usual for the event, but I was doing a "Dancing with the Stars" TV show in Korea leading up to the World Championship, and so I was really in a happy mood. So I think my happiness and positiveness carried over to here this week", explained Kim when asked if she did anything differently this year to prepare.
Ga Young Kim will enjoy a full year of reigning in women's pool most highest challenge and honor, as the World Champion of 10-Ball.
China vs Korea Guaranteed
Korea's #1 Ga Young Kim. Photography courtesy of Alison Chang.
China's Fu or Chen, Korea's Kim or Cha - one of these will be World Champion
Manila, Philippines- Two of the biggest powerhouse countries in women's billiards will be punching it out for the World Championship. The Yalin Women's World 10-Ball Championship is down to the final four players, with China dominating the top bracket and South Korea dominating the bottom bracket which means in the finals both countries are guaranteed to face one another. Taiwan, Japan, Philippines, Austria, and Sweden were all eliminated.
In the top half, China #1 Xiaofang Fu will face off with 19 year old Siming Chen, last year's #1 in the world. Both players have several titles to their names already, but neither has won the World 10-Ball Championships as of yet. Fu eliminated her roommate Sha Sha Liu, another top force in China, while Chen escaped Taiwan's Ho Yun Chan where she trailed the Taiwanese at the end of the match and got fortunate to win the final 2 games for a 8-7 thriller. The outcome of the all China semi-final will be filmed live August 24th at 2pm on ABS-CBN's Studio 23.
The bottom bracket will feature the all Korea semi-final between Korea's #1 and #2 women. Ga Young Kim and Yu Ram Cha. Kim is the more decorated of the two with numerous Gold medals and international titles including 2 US Open wins. Cha won the 2010 Amway Cup and Beijing Open. Both players have attained national celebrity status in their home country of Korea. Kim has come close to winning the World 10-Ball, with a Silver in 2010 and Bronze in 2011. Neither of the ladies have won a major 10-Ball title as of yet, let alone this one, the biggest of them all. This semi-final match will be aired live at 2330pm today August 24th on ABS-CBN's Studio 23.
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"I've won everything there is to win except the World 10-Ball Championship. That's why I want to win this more than anything else", said Kim.
"10-Ball is far more challenging than 9-Ball. It's definitely for the better professional players", explained men's World Champion Thorsten Hohmann.
There will be a brand new women's World Champion crowned today.
This is the biggest women's sporting event of the year in the Philippines, with the host country featuring the best players from Italy, Japan, China, Canada, Australia, Indonesia, South Korea, Russia, South Africa, India, Iran, Netherlands, Sweden, Venezuela, England, Norway, Taiwan, Austria, and Singapore.
An elite 48 world class pros and international women superstars are fighting it out in Manila. With the one goal in mind: to become the World Champion of 10-Ball.
Ga Young's Revenge Over Jasmin
Ga Young finally beat Ouschan in Manila at the World 10-Ball Championship. Photography courtesy of Alison Chang.
Ouschan will have to wait to settle score with Kim at next year's World 10-Ball
Manila, Philippines- Ga Young Kim finally defeated her Western rival Jasmin Ouschan at the Yalin Women's World 10-Ball Championship. The win eliminated Ouschan, as well as all hopes of a European win here. The past 2 years have been dominated by Europe with Ouschan and then by Kelly Fisher of England.
This was Kim/Ouschan's second meeting this week and third time overall with Ouschan winning both times including the finals in 2010. The first this week was in the group stages where Kim led 2-0, but Ouschan came back with the win at the end 6-4. They met again today in the quarter-finals to fight for a seat into the final four tomorrow. This time, Ga Young got the better of Jasmin 8-5.
The 26 year old Ouschan and the 29 year old Kim have had a 7 year rivalry ever since Ouschan's debut win in 2005 at the BCA Open in Las Vegas. Ouschan started the event with a 9-8 win over Kim at age 19. Since then the two have battled numerous occasions, and likely will for many more years to come.
The Dragon Promotions produced 4th Annual Yalin Women's World 10-Ball Championship is the most followed women's event of the year. In the host country of the Philippines, it is the biggest female sporting event of the country. The event is supported by Asian table mammoth Yalin Billiards, advanced cue engineer OB Cues, long lasting Championship Tour Edition Cloth, top playing Aramith Balls, Tour Edition Chalk, and #1 TV network broadcaster ABS-CBN. Star Billiards and Pool & Billiard Magazine are also proud supporters. This year's edition will take place August 20th-24th once again at Robinson's Galleria Mall, which has now become synonymous for creating the dynamic atmosphere of the coveted championship. Robinson's Galleria is connected to the host hotel Crowne Plaza Galleria. With massive media and global networks covering the Yalin Women's World 10-Ball Championship, it will continue as still the biggest and most watched women's billiard event in the world.
Taiwan came into the final stage with the largest contingent of players. Unfortunately, they were all eliminated by the quarter-finals. Ga Young Kim eliminated Y.T. Chan 8-3 while Korea's Yu Ram Cha took out L.H. Shan 8-4 in two blowouts. Ho Yun Tan gave China's Siming Chen a good fight till the end, but lost a disappointing 8-7.
Taiwan could take some solace in the fact that their Chinese Taipei players eliminated huge names Xiao Ting Pan of China as well as home country favorite Rubilen Amit. Taiwan will take home two 5th place finishes and hope to take the Gold next year. Taiwan has made it to the finals twice but has never won the World 10-Ball.
This is the biggest women's sporting event of the year in the Philippines, with the host country featuring the best players from Italy, Japan, China, Canada, Australia, Indonesia, South Korea, Russia, South Africa, India, Iran, Netherlands, Sweden, Venezuela, England, Norway, Taiwan, Austria, and Singapore.
Follow the ladies at www.facebook.com/womensworld10ball For more info email womensworld10ball@gmail.com Complete info and news visit www.yalin.cn Results and brackets can be found at www.womensworld10ball.com
An elite 48 world class pros and international women superstars are fighting it out in Manila. With the one goal in mind: to become the World Champion of 10-Ball.
The Yalin Women's World 10-Ball Championship is additionally sponsored by ABS-CBN Sports, Robinson's Galleria, Star Billiards, OB Cues, Championship Cloth, Aramith Balls, Magic 89.9, and Crowne Plaza Galleria Ortigas. With massive media and global networks covering the Yalin Women's World 10-Ball Championship, it will continue as still the biggest and most watched women's billiard event in the world.
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