Defeats Germany's Ibraimov 40-32 in final
South Korean three-cushion billiards player Song Yun-do claimed the title at the World Junior Three-Cushion Billiards Championship in his first-ever appearance at the tournament.
Song defeated Germany's Amir Ibraimov 40-32 in 35 innings in the final of the 17th World Junior Three-Cushion Billiards Championship, held Sunday (local time) in Gradignan, France.
After a tight opening, the match turned decisively in the 10th inning, when Song reeled off a high run of 12 points to overturn a deficit and lead 16-7. He extended his advantage to 30-19, then reached 40 points in the 35th inning to seal the world title.
Selected for the national team this year, Song has been on a rapid rise. In August, he reached the final of the 2026 Korea Billiards Federation President's Cup — co-presented by Soop — where he finished runner-up against Cho Myung-woo of the Seoul Metropolitan Government team, before winning the world junior title at his first attempt.
Song is the first Korean to win the championship since Oh Myung-gyu in 2023, and the fifth Korean overall to claim the world junior title, following Kim Haeng-jik of the South Jeolla Province Billiards Federation, Kim Tae-gwan, Cho Myung-woo and Oh Myung-gyu. South Korea's all-time win total at the tournament now stands at 10, with Kim Haeng-jik having won four times and Cho three.
Song will immediately turn his attention to the senior world stage. He is set to compete at the 78th World Three-Cushion Billiards Championship, to be held from Wednesday through Sunday in Blois, France, alongside Cho Myung-woo, Heo Jeong-han of the South Gyeongsang Province Billiards Federation, Kim Haeng-jik, Son Jun-hyeok of the Gwangmyeong Billiards Federation and Jeong Ye-seong of the North Gyeongsang Province Sports Council.
yjc@heraldcorp.com
