Stunning debut for Jodie

SWINDON schoolgirl Jodie Symes has been tipped as a future world junior champion after a remarkable debut at the women’s world snooker championships in Cambridge

The 15-year-old defeated two well-established players on the World Ladies Billiards & Snooker Association circuit and took frames off two top foreign stars.

“It was a good experience,” she said. “And better than playing boys!”

Based at Jesters SC, Symes, who attends Dorcan Technology College and competes on the South of England Cuestars circuit, finished fifth out of seven in the round-robin group stages of the senior event.

She chalked up 2-1 victories over world number ten Vicky Ashby (Hemel Hempstead) and Maureen Logan (Tyne & Wear) – and took a frame off two-time WLBSA billiards world champion Chitra Magimairaj (India) and Yu Ching Ching (Hong Kong).

Only Reanne Evans (Dudley), who is bidding for a record fifth successive title, and world number eight Suzie Opacic (Brambridge, Hants) managed 3-0 wins.

Symes admitted she didn’t really get a chance against world number one Evans. She said: “I was a little bit nervous but I didn’t really expect to win. She takes any opportunity to pot. She got a 53 and a 40 against me.”

England international Hannah Jones who knocked Symes out of the junior competition, said: “Jodie’s a really good player. She’s going to win the junior title at some point.”

In fact, Symes beat Jones, 12, in the semi-finals of the junior event at the Connie Gough National Championships in Luton last month.

In the Plate competition for non-qualifiers, Symes put out world No 20 Jan Hughes, from St Neots, Cambs, 2-0 but lost in the last eight 2-0 to eight-time German national champion Natascha Niermann.

Picture by Glenn Stanley