Get ready for a snooker shocker 🎱💥—Xiao Guodong has made history at the 2025 World Games in Chengdu in the Chinese mainland! The 36-year-old cue wizard clinched China’s first men’s snooker gold, edging out Cyprus’s Michael Georgiou 2-1 in a nail-biter.
The final kicked off with Xiao playing aggressive and precise shots, taking frame one 53-39 to grab an early lead. Georgiou fired back in frame two with a century break—meaning he scored 100+ points in one turn—leveling the match and setting up a winner-takes-all decider.
The decider was intense. Xiao raced to a 57-32 lead but slipped up with a foul that handed Georgiou six extra points. With nerves of steel, Xiao sank the pink ball to seal the deal and stand atop the podium. Cue fans from Bangalore to Jakarta are buzzing over this breakthrough win!
“I’m so glad for the victory,” said Xiao, who skipped the Saudi Arabia Masters to focus on the World Games. “We trained hard in Chengdu for a month. Whether we won or not, our team did an excellent job. This gold is a perfect wrap-up for Team China.”
Reference(s):
Xiao Guodong wins first snooker title for China at Chengdu World Games
cgtn.com
