Champion Thaha Irshath receiving the trophy from chief guest   

  By M. Shamil Amit   

Twenty two year old Thaha Irshath emerged national billiard champion for the third successive year when he came out victorious in the 69th National Billiards Championship by defeating Susantha Wickrama of the Army BC by 670 points to 591 in the final played at the AAC billiards table in Colombo.   
The three hour final saw defending champion Irshath playing with utter confidence by taking a lead of over 250 points at the end of the first session of proceedings. On resumption he kept up the momentum to maintain his lead and in the process made three half century breaks of 51, 56 and 50 while his opponent Wickrama succeeded with two half century breaks of 70 and 52 but was unable to get past the champ.   
The youngster has been in terrific form in the recent past and apart from clinching the national billiards title for three consecutive years, he had the honour of winning double titles at age of 19 years when he bagged the national snooker and billiards titles which he achieved at the age of 19 years to become the youngest ever cueist to bag a national title.   
Earlier Irshath overcame K.A. Kelum of Army BC in the quarter final and then got the better of his club mate Abdul Sattar who is an experienced cueist in the semi final.   
The championship conducted by the Billiards and Snooker Association and sponsored by Automobile Association of Ceylon saw it ending with success with the participation of the top cueists in the island.   
Results:
Quarter Finals:
Thaha Irshath (MSC) beat K.A. Kelum (Army BC) 676/397. Abdul Sattar (MSC) beat H.A.M. Rimzan (Shooters BC) 309/306. Susantha Wickrama (Army BC) beat S.S. Dinuruwan (Army BC) 382/333. Priyantha Samarakoon (Army BC) beat M.J.A. Thasleem (MSC) 368/288.   
Semi Finals:
Thaha Irshath (MSC) beat Abdul Sattar (MSC) 624/329. Susantha Wickrama (Army BC) beat Priyantha Samarakoon (Army BC) 360/324.   
Final:
Thaha Irshath (MSC) beat Susantha Wickrama (Army BC) 670/591.