Lloyd’s 11-year journey from Gosport to Cyprus

IT’S a journey of 2,025 miles from Gosport to the capital of Cyprus – if you are a crow.

But for English Under-18 Snooker Championship winner Mark Lloyd, it’s a journey that has taken 11 years and cost thousands of pounds.

The 17-year-old has come a long way since he started playing in the Saturday morning junior sessions at Stoke Snooker Club, Gosport, at the age of six.

When he progressed to the Cuestars under-21 circuit, the furthest he travelled was to places like Salisbury, Swindon and Woking.

Now he’s on the EASB Premier Junior Tour, it’s the likes of Leeds, Manchester and Gloucester.

Last year, Lloyd won the European Under-17 Snooker Open in Malta and lost in the last-32 of the IBSF Under-18 World Championship in Belgium to the eventual tournament Jackson Page.

And in March he’ll fly out to Nicosia on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus for the European Under-18 Championship.

But what many people may find surprising is that representing England in these events actually costs a small fortune.

“We have to pay for travel and accommodation,” explained Lloyd. “It would be great to have sponsorship for the event. It would be much appreciated.

“I would be more than happy to advertise the sponsor on my waistcoat as well as advertising through my snooker page on Facebook.”

Lloyd, who has also qualified for both the English Under-18 and Under-21 Championship finals in Gloucester in June, added: “I’m just hoping that I play how I know that I can play. Hopefully, my ability and mindset can pull me through.”

Potential sponsors can contact Team Lloyd via www.facebook.com/marklloyd147/

Picture by Tim Dunkley