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A HANDFUL of Smarties helped snooker star Maria Catalano enjoy the sweet taste of success at the women’s UK Championship.
And Catalano is now provisionally ranked number one on the World Ladies Billiards & Snooker Association circuit following her 3-0 victory over Tina Owen-Sevilton in the final at Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon.
The 30-year-old from Dudley, West Midlands, revealed she nearly quit the tournament after feeling “a bit giddy and a bit light-headed” in her previous two matches.
“During the semis, I was contemplating going home because I felt like I was in someone else’s body,” she admitted.
Catalano, the pre-tournament favourite to claim her first UK title, struggled back from 2-1 down to defeat Derby teenager Hannah Jones 3-2 on the final pink in the quarter-finals.
“Hannah played quite well and I managed to scrape through,” she said.
And she was 1-0 down to 12-year-old Jasmine Bolsover, from Woking, before prevailing 3-1 in the last-four.
Complaining of feeling unwell, Catalano was approached by Owen-Sevilton.
“Tina gave me about 20 Smarties and I ate them all,” she explained.
“I don’t know whether it was some kind of sugar rush but it worked. I felt a lot better and came to life in the final.
“I played really well. I think I missed three balls.”
Breaks of 30, 32, 52 and 66 secured Catalano a ninth WLBSA ranking title.
Jones, 16, beat Bolsover to clinch the Junior title and world number 12 Jenny Poulter, from Maidstone, Kent, won the Plate competition.
RESULTS (BREAKS)
QUARTER-FINALS: Maria Catalano (45, 38) beat Hannah Jones 3-2, Jasmine Bolsover beat Jenny Poulter 3-2, Vicky Carter w/o Tatjana Vasiljeva, Tina Owen-Sevilton beat Vicky Gibbs 3-0.
SEMI-FINALS: Catalano beat Bolsover 3-1, Owen-Sevilton beat Carter 3-2.
FINAL: Catalano (30, 32, 52, 66) beat Owen-Sevilton 3-0.
PLATE
SEMI-FINALS: Hannah Jones beat Vicky Gibbs 2-0, Jenny Poulter bye.
FINAL: Poulter beat Jones 2-0.
JUNIORS
FINAL: Hannah Jones beat Jasmine Bolsover 2-0.
ENTRIES
Maria Catalano (Dudley, West Mids)
Tatjana Vasiljeva (Latvia)
Jenny Poulter (Maidstone, Kent)
Vicky Gibbs (Trowbridge)
Tina Owen-Sevilton (Bridgwater, Somerset)
Jasmine Bolsover (Woking)
Vicky Carter (Sandy, Bucks)
Hannah Jones (Derby)
Tim Dunkley (WLBSA press officer and World Snooker coach)
And Catalano is now provisionally ranked number one on the World Ladies Billiards & Snooker Association circuit following her 3-0 victory over Tina Owen-Sevilton in the final at Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon.
The 30-year-old from Dudley, West Midlands, revealed she nearly quit the tournament after feeling “a bit giddy and a bit light-headed” in her previous two matches.
“During the semis, I was contemplating going home because I felt like I was in someone else’s body,” she admitted.
Catalano, the pre-tournament favourite to claim her first UK title, struggled back from 2-1 down to defeat Derby teenager Hannah Jones 3-2 on the final pink in the quarter-finals.
“Hannah played quite well and I managed to scrape through,” she said.
And she was 1-0 down to 12-year-old Jasmine Bolsover, from Woking, before prevailing 3-1 in the last-four.
Complaining of feeling unwell, Catalano was approached by Owen-Sevilton.
“Tina gave me about 20 Smarties and I ate them all,” she explained.
“I don’t know whether it was some kind of sugar rush but it worked. I felt a lot better and came to life in the final.
“I played really well. I think I missed three balls.”
Breaks of 30, 32, 52 and 66 secured Catalano a ninth WLBSA ranking title.
Jones, 16, beat Bolsover to clinch the Junior title and world number 12 Jenny Poulter, from Maidstone, Kent, won the Plate competition.
RESULTS (BREAKS)
QUARTER-FINALS: Maria Catalano (45, 38) beat Hannah Jones 3-2, Jasmine Bolsover beat Jenny Poulter 3-2, Vicky Carter w/o Tatjana Vasiljeva, Tina Owen-Sevilton beat Vicky Gibbs 3-0.
SEMI-FINALS: Catalano beat Bolsover 3-1, Owen-Sevilton beat Carter 3-2.
FINAL: Catalano (30, 32, 52, 66) beat Owen-Sevilton 3-0.
PLATE
SEMI-FINALS: Hannah Jones beat Vicky Gibbs 2-0, Jenny Poulter bye.
FINAL: Poulter beat Jones 2-0.
JUNIORS
FINAL: Hannah Jones beat Jasmine Bolsover 2-0.
ENTRIES
Maria Catalano (Dudley, West Mids)
Tatjana Vasiljeva (Latvia)
Jenny Poulter (Maidstone, Kent)
Vicky Gibbs (Trowbridge)
Tina Owen-Sevilton (Bridgwater, Somerset)
Jasmine Bolsover (Woking)
Vicky Carter (Sandy, Bucks)
Hannah Jones (Derby)
Tim Dunkley (WLBSA press officer and World Snooker coach)
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