John retains top snooker honours

PAPUA New Guinea women’s snooker champion Geua John has won her 11th consecutive PNG Women’s National Snooker title.
The Papua New Guinea No.1 defeated fellow PNG representative Helen Samuel 4-0 in the best-of-seven-frames final at the Q Club last Saturday.
John won the first frame 74-28, the second 56-26, third 54-39 before claiming this year’s National Gaming Control Board PNG women’s title with a 47-13 scoreline in the fourth frame.
“The margins (of the scores) look huge but Helen played well and pushed me to the limit to win,” John said.
“I thank her for a wonderful game.” she said.
Samuel said: “She is a champion and today was her day. I gave my best but the better player on the day won.
“Congratulations to Geua.”
John defeated Madeleine Kaina 3-0, while Samuel beat Sandra Chan (3-0) in the semi-finals.
In the quarter-finals, John beat Damita Bray and Samuel ousted Rhonda English.
Samuel got the top seed award off John after going through her round-robin matches undefeated, while John conceded a frame to Ruby Oala in their final group A match.
The most-outstanding-player award went to Nellie Aoae, who was presented a cue from Malaysian company Niche by PNG snooker player-of-the-year Marcus Ng, and the best-dressed award went to Kaia Ovia.
PNGBSA vice-president John Chan congratulated (Geua) John and commended the 40 women for competing and making the women’s titles another success.
“I must thank PNG WIS president Bobbie McCarthy, Tanya Tam, Jane Laigi and Madonna Kaina and everyone who organised the event and contributed one way or another for another successful year,” Chan said.
Chan and McCarthy thanked official naming rights sponsor National Gaming Control Board, platinum sponsors Pacific MMI, The National, Karridale Ltd, gold sponsors Click TV, Huawei, Niche, LJ Hooker, Grafitti Signs, silver sponsors Street Scene, Seeto-Kui and bronze sponsor Budget Real Estate, venues Dragons Den, Aviat Club, Laguna Hotel and Q Club.
They thanked tournament director Richard Whitchurch and assistants Ida Keni, Danny Earls, Joey Chan and Gamu Miria for a job well done over the week.