The WPA (World Pool-Billiard Association) Predator World Junior Championships, regarded as the pinnacle achievement for billiard student-athletes, was held this year in the picturesque town of Hamilton, New Zealand, from September 5th to 8th. Organized by the continent’s respective federation, this prestigious event featured athletes from over 20 countries, coinciding with the Predator WPA World 8-Ball Championships and the Women’s World 9-Ball Championships.
In the Under 19 Girls division, Team USA dominated the podium, securing both gold and silver. In a thrilling hill-hill final, Florida’s Sofia Mast, known as “The Pink Dagger,” triumphed over Nevada’s Savannah Easton, “Road Runner,” with a score of 6-5. A lock-up safety on the Six-Ball handed Mast ball- in-hand, sealing her victory. This gold medal marked the first for Team USA in the girls’ division since Mary (Rakin) Tam’s consecutive wins in 2006 and 2007.
In the Under 19 Boys division, California’s Adrian Prasad improved upon last year’s bronze medal by taking home silver. The 17-year-old faced a series of close matches, defeating Canada’s Bryzen Manipula 7-5 in the quarterfinals. He advanced to the semifinals, where he narrowly edged out Japan’s Aoi Kanazawa 7-6 before being bested by Mika van Berkel of the Netherlands in the final match.
In the Under 17 Boys division, 13-year-old Hayden Ernst from Louisville, Kentucky, earned top honors, finishing in the top eight after being eliminated in the single-elimination knockout round.
In the end, Team USA brought home one gold and two silver medals, showcasing to the world the strength, determination, and exceptional talent of its young athletes.
“This is the closest our sport will get to the Olympics. These kids train all year long to represent our nation, and I could not be more impressed or proud of how hard they worked,” said USA Junior Team Coach Samm Diep-Vidal. “All they wanted to do in their spare time was hit balls, and they fought so hard in every single match. I love how cohesive and supportive our team is, and I look forward to bringing home even more medals next year.”
FULL RESULTS
GIRLS U19:
- Sofia Mast – USA
- Savannah Easton – USA
- Shirin Volery – Switzerland / Ming-Ling Wang – Chinese Taipei
BOYS U19:
- Mika van Berkel – Netherlands
- Adrian Prasad – USA
- Kanazawa Aoi – Japan / Feliz Vogel – Germany
BOYS U17:
- Revo Maimre – Estonia
- Walter Laikre – Sweden
- Cheng Yen Lin – Chinese Taipei / Jakub Chrobot – Poland
About The Billiard Education Foundation
The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) was formed in 1993 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity committed to promoting a love of pool and building the next generation of players through youth programs and academic scholarships. The BEF is managed by the Billiard Congress of America. For more information about the BEF or to learn how you can support the foundation please visit BilliardEducation.org.
