Pan American Seniors Success for Figueiredo
In an all-Brazilian final on home soil, Igor Figueiredo defeated Zico 5-0 to win the 2023 Pan American Seniors Snooker Championship held at the Rio de Janeiro Yacht Club.
Victory for the 46-year-old secures qualification for the 2024 LLP Solicitors World Seniors Snooker Championship which is set to take place at the Crucible Theatre in May. It would represent Figueiredo’s second appearance in the tournament there having reached the semi-finals in 2021.
Organised by the Pan American Billiards and Snooker Association (PABSA) – a continental federation serving players from across North, Central and South America – a total of 40 players were divided into eight round robin groups of five with the top two from each advancing to the knockout rounds.
Former professional Figueiredo finished top of Group 8 after winning all his games 2-0 before defeating Maciel (Brazil) 3-0 and Fabinho (Brazil) 3-1 in the last 16 and quarter-finals, respectively.
Returning for Finals Day, Figueiredo constructed breaks of 71, 63 and 85 as he eliminated fellow countryman Tuzinho 4-0 in the last four.
Emerging from the other side of the draw was Zico who relinquished just one frame on his way to the semi-finals where he ousted Jason Williams (Canada) 4-3 on the final pink in the deciding frame. In frame three, Zico made a break of 72.
However, Figueiredo proved to be too strong in the final as he registered runs of 58, 72, 62, 54 and 50 en route to the title.
Attention in Rio now turns to the full Pan American Snooker Championship which runs from Thursday to Sunday where the winner will earn a two-year professional World Snooker Tour card.
