Amee Kamani clinches bronze at WPA Heyball World Championships

Amee Kamani clinched the bronze medal at the WPA Heyball World Championships in Brisbane, Australia, after a solid 6-1 win in the quarterfinals. She was defeated by world No. 1 Shi Tianqi in the semifinals. Vidya Pillai also competed

Hyderabad: India’s Amee Kamani came up with a gritty effort to clinch the bronze medal at the WPA Heyball World Championships in Brisbane, Australia, on Wednesday.

For the record, heyball blends both snooker and pool.

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The 33-year-old from Indore, who scored a shock 6-1 win over Britain’s Rebecca Kenna in the quarterfinals, however, failed to carry that momentum into the last-four clash against world No. 1 Shi Tianqi.

Tianqi didn’t give the left-handed Amee, who came through the ‘losers bracket’, any chance. The reigning Asian champion from China scored a lopsided 6-1 win.

Earlier, Vidya Pillai, who won the heyball gold at the inaugural Commonwealth Billiards Championships in Mauritius in July, lost 3-6 to Belgium’s Wendy Jans in the pre-quarters.

Anupama Ramachandran and Natasha Chethan, the other two Indians in the women’s draw, failed to make the second stage. While Anupama lost in the fourth round, Natasha, the reigning World U-21 snooker champion, bowed out in the third round.

In the men’s section, Shivam Arora, the lone Indian to make the second stage, came up short against Iran’s Sina Valizadeh in the pre-quarters, losing 2-7.

Sundeep Gulati, the Asian champion, suffered a heartbreaking 6-7 defeat at the hands of Keen Hoo Moh of Malaysia in the fourth round.

Kamal Chawla (Round 3) and Chetan Chhabra (Round 1) were the other two Indians in the men’s draw.