Pakistan’s snooker hopes came to a heartbreaking end at the World Games in Chengdu, as Mohammad Asif narrowly missed out on a medal despite producing one of the tournament’s most breathtaking moments — a flawless 141 clearance.
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The seasoned cueist, aiming to deliver a podium finish as a gift for Pakistan’s Independence Day, first fell short in the semi-finals against China’s Xiao Guodong. The home favorite, a former Wuhan Open champion, showed no mercy, outclassing Asif with a 2-0 victory. Guodong swept the first frame 80-0 with a 58-break and sealed the second 65-47, booking his place in the gold medal match.
That defeat forced Asif into the bronze medal playoff against Germany’s Alexander Widau, an opponent he had previously beaten in the group stages. Hopes were high, and Asif fought back fiercely after losing the opening frame 70-40, which included a solid 59-break from Widau.
Then came the moment of brilliance: Asif stunned the crowd with a perfect 141 clearance — the highest of the competition — levelling the match 1-1 with a 149-0 frame win. The Civil Aviation Flight University’s Tianfu Campus Gymnasium roared in appreciation as Pakistan’s most decorated cueist reminded everyone of his class.
But the dream finish slipped away. Widau steadied himself in the deciding frame, edging out Asif 78-53 to secure bronze, leaving the Pakistani star empty-handed.
“I had my chances,” a visibly disappointed Asif told APP after the match. “That 149 showed what I am capable of, but unluckily I just couldn’t get over the line. This will hurt for a long time.”
While Pakistan’s snooker campaign ended in heartbreak, the day brought record-breaking performances elsewhere at the Games. Spain’s Jhoan Sebastian Bitar Guzman electrified the roller sports arena by smashing the men’s 100m sprint world record, clocking 9.53 seconds. It was his second gold medal of the event, adding to his victory in the men’s one-lap event, completed in 34.372 seconds.
Roller sports, featuring inline hockey, inline speed skating road, and inline speed skating track, have become one of the highlights of the multi-nation spectacle, set to conclude on August 17.
China, meanwhile, continued its dominance across disciplines. At the Xinglong Lake Hubin Arena, gymnastics star Shang Chunsong delivered a memorable performance in the women’s freestyle parkour final. Initially placed second behind Japan’s Nene Nagai due to a judging miscalculation, Shang had tears in her eyes as she prepared for silver. But moments before the medal ceremony, officials corrected the score: her difficulty (13.5) and execution (revised to 11.2) gave her a total of 24.7, crowning her champion. Nagai settled for silver, and Argentina’s Sara Banchoff Tzancoff claimed bronze.
The celebrations didn’t stop there for China, as their wushu sanda athletes delivered three gold medals on Tuesday night. Chen Mengyue overpowered India’s Namrata Batra 2-0 in the women’s 52kg category, while Li Zhiqin claimed the 60kg crown against Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy. In the men’s 56kg final, Tang Sishuo dominated Vietnam’s Do Huy Hoang, securing 12 points in just one round for another emphatic gold.
Iran’s Seyedah Yasaman Bagherzadehvaskas prevented a clean sweep by winning the women’s 70kg final, while Egypt’s Alhussein Wahdan and South Korea’s Song Gicheol triumphed in the men’s 85kg and 70kg categories respectively.
Sanda, a full-contact martial art combining kickboxing techniques with wrestling-style takedowns, added to the drama with fast-paced bouts refereed under boxing rules.
From the snooker tables to the roller tracks, and from parkour ramps to combat arenas, Wednesday’s action at the World Games highlighted both triumph and heartbreak. For Pakistan, Asif’s brilliance will be remembered, even if it didn’t bring home a medal. For Spain and China, the day will be marked in history books — one for a world record, the other for a golden comeback.
