Mar 15 β€’ 11:02 UTC πŸ‡°πŸ‡· Korea Hankyoreh (KR)

Kim Ga-young wins World Championship for the third consecutive time: 'Thank you for the good energy in Jeju'

Kim Ga-young achieved her third consecutive win at the World Championship held in Jeju, defeating Han Ji-eun in the finals.

Kim Ga-young, representing Hana Card, has made history by winning the World Championship for the third straight time. On the 15th, at the Hanla Gymnasium in Jeju, she faced Han Ji-eun from SY in the women’s final, where she dominated with a set score of 4-1 (9:11, 11:5, 11:7, 11:1, 11:2). This victory not only earned her a champion's prize of 100 million won but also marked her fourth overall championship win, elevating her tour title count to an impressive 18. Moreover, she became the first female player to surpass a total prize money of 900 million won.

Despite starting off with a loss in the first set, Kim exhibited her skill by winning the subsequent three sets in under two hours. Notably, she showcased exceptional talent, including a high run of 7, which kept Han Ji-eun at bay throughout the match. The victory was especially sweet for Kim, as she had lost to Han in a round-robin match just a week earlier. With her performance, Kim is regarded as a player with the caliber to compete against male competitors, having recorded an outstanding win-loss record of 224 wins and 45 losses over 269 matches in professional billiards since its inception in 2019-2020.

In her post-match interview, Kim expressed gratitude towards Hana Card and Jeju, attributing her successful performance to the good energy she feels in the region. She also thanked the local fans for their support and committed to striving for even better performances in the future. Meanwhile, Han Ji-eun, who returned to the World Championship finals after three years, was unable to surpass Kim, leaving her head-to-head record at 3 wins and 4 losses against her rival. Additionally, Choi Yu-ram received the Welcome Top Ranking award for achieving the highest average in the tournament.

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