Bali to host 9-ball and snooker c'ships

JAKARTA (JP): Bali will host the Nine Ball and Snooker Championships in Denpasar later this month as a warm up for the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Bandar Seri Begawan in August.

The spokesman for the Indonesian Billiards Association, Basuki Santoso, said on Wednesday that seven countries had confirmed their participation in the Bali championships, while another three countries were also expected to participate in the event.

"Japan, Chinese Taipei, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, Australia and host Indonesia will definitely compete in the championships. Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia are expected to confirm later," he said.

Billiards and snooker are among 21 sports featured at the biennial SEA Games. Other sports are track and field, badminton, basketball, boxing, cycling, soccer, golf, hockey, karate, pencak silat, polo, sepak takraw, shooting, squash, swimming, table tennis, tae kwon do, tennis, bowling and rowing.

The association's provincial branches are preparing their athletes for the Bali championships, including the association's two strongest chapters in Jakarta and East Java.

The Rp 25.2 million (US$2,830) event, which will take place from Feb. 24 to Feb. 27, is the first international open tournament hosted by Indonesia.

Basuki said that the championships were recommended by the National Sports Council and the Asian Pocket Billiard Union. The nine-ball winners will receive points which will count toward their Asian rankings. (yan)