Pool players, Kyle Akaloo and Ethan Chetty, dominate at Heyball national championship
Kyle Akaloo with his accolades
Image: Supplied
South Africa's pool champion, Kyle Akaloo, emerged victorious once again at the Heyball National Championship at the Crucible Billiards Room in Pretoria earlier this week.
Akaloo, 35, from Malvern, said he was proud to add another title to his list of accomplishments.
He is also the South African 9 Ball and Straight Pool champion, and defended his titles for three consecutive years.
'Heyball is a different form of billiards. There are about 20 different forms of billiards in the world. I have now won in three different formats in South Africa.
'To prepare, I played a few sparring sessions with some of the province's top Heyball players and then I did a lot of running to condition my mind and body,' he added.
The father of one said he was honoured to have bagged another title.
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'I am very happy. Heyball is completely different from 9 ball, so there are a lot of adjustments I had to make. But I am glad my hard work and dedication to the sport paid off,' Akaloo said.
Last year, Akaloo ranked in the top 64 of the US Open 9 Ball Championships. He was also the only player to be ranked number one for pool and snooker simultaneously in South Africa.
The highlights of his career include him competing in the World Cup of Pool last year.
Ethan Chetty, 20, from Silverglen, was ranked number one in the Heyball men's category during the championship. He also scooped third place in the singles event.
Ethan Chetty was ranked number one in the country for Heyball
Image: Supplied
Chetty will jet off to Australia to compete in the Heyball World Championship.
'I had the most breaks and finishes throughout the championship. I was ecstatic to have been ranked number one in the country.
'To prepare, I practised everyday and prayed for guidance. It felt amazing to win, knowing all my hard work and dedication to practising had paid off. I practised every day and I prayed for everything I wanted,' Chetty added.
He said he was thrilled to play in the world championship. The dates for the championship in Australia are yet to be announced.
'I thank my parents, Pat and Christine, for their support and their belief in my skills. I also thank my mentor Sagie Jico Naidoo and my partner, Ifthikaar Ahmod, for their support. I thank Jesus for his faithfulness, his love, and his guidance in keeping my mind and head strong."
Chetty, earned the nickname "Killer Laaitie" for his exceptional skills in pool and proved that with the right support, youngsters could achieve success in cue sport.
He defended his U23 national champion title at the South African Blackball Nationals earlier this year, and was also the U18 and U23 pool champion for South Africa in 2023, while juggling schooling with competing globally.
He has bagged an array of trophies and titles since he entered as a junior in competitive cue sport and is a member of the Friendly 8 Pool Academy in Silverglen.
The teen has played in various tournaments and championships in South Africa and has travelled to different countries, including China and Morocco.
He won the U18 national championships three years consecutively.
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