Parents surprised by Chitra's World Billiards title win

Bangalore, Apr 9 (UNI) Proud parents of World Ladies Billiards Champion Chitra Magimairaj said they were taken by surprise when their daughter won the title because they had never seen her go beyond the quarterfinals of any national or international event.

''Winning the world billiards title is akin to Chitra passing out in her post graduation in flying colours,'' Chitra's father said after his daughter's achievement at the tournament held at Cambridge on April 5.

Chitra won her maiden world Billiards title defeating former champion Emma Boney (193-164) in the finals.

Though talented a streak of bad luck haunted the ace women cuiest, who struggled in in the domestic as well as international level but achieved the improbable by winning the world title.

''Chitra had the knowledge of passing Phd but she was struggling to pass SSLC as bad luck was hunting her all these days, but on Wednesday she surprised us by winning the World Crown'', Mr Magimairaj told UNI here.

Mother Vasanthi Magimairaj said, ''After she lost in the snooker quarterfinals to her compatriot Anuja Thakur I lost hopes and I was praying to god to help her in achieving her goal at least in billiards. All these days luck was not in her favour. In every national and international event she participated either she would be out of the race at quarterfinal or in the initial round itself.'' Ms Magimairaj recalled how her daughter's journey from being a cricketer to a defender in hockey and finally settling to play snookerand billiards.

''Before playing billiards and snooker, she was a good cricketer.

She would have captained Indian women cricket team but she opted to play in the Asian Hockey Championship. She was a good defender but was not selected for the Asian Championship as she suffered injury in the leg.'' ''Luck did not favour and her bad days started as she was out of action for more than two years during which she underwent three surgeries in the leg. But she had determined to win the world title and she succeeded. Strong determination and commitment to the game helped her bring laurels to the country'', she added.

The champion herself is already gearing up for the next challenge at the Asian Games in Doha.

''My next aim is to win gold in the Asian Games scheduled to be held in Doha next month,'' Chitra said.

Chitra dedicated the win to her parents and her US settled brother who sponsored her to the Cambridge tournament.

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