Pool star pockets world title

SEVENTEEN-year-old Toby Clack has won the World Eightball Pool Federation under-18 World Championship.

Within a tournament of 40 people in Morocco, the former St Patrick’s College student came out on top.

“I played five matches,” he said. “I had to win them all, and I did.

“In the final, I played a fellow Aussie, Joshua Hands from Queensland, so it was good to share the stage with him.

“The game we played was high-quality. Being able to showcase the talent we have in Australia in the juniors and now moving into open events is fantastic.

“All juniors in the Australian team are fantastic for that; we put together an amazing side.”

Clack started playing pool at age 11, following in the footsteps of his dad, professional player, Paull Clack, who also competed at the World Championships in Morocco, and made the top 16 of the open singles.

“I’ve learnt everything I know from my dad, who has represented Australia many, many times,” he said.

“It’s a family thing, really, and ever since then, I’ve wanted to improve my game, and winning a world title is obviously the highest I can get in the sport, so that was the dream.”

Clack won the under-15 Australian national title in 2019, and said he enjoys the sport for its uniqueness, challenges, and opportunities.

“There’s a lot of pressure out there,” he said. “It’s a very multifaceted game, there’s so many sides to it, and you’re always making choices out on the table, like ‘should I try and finish the match now or wait until I get another chance?’

“Unlike soccer or footy, you have the time to think, so the mental side of the game is challenging, and getting a hand on that is key to success. But the best pool players make the game look simple.

“I can travel all over the world with it. Obviously Morocco is not a place many people get to go to, so getting to go there and explore the culture, food, and people, but also to play the sport that I love, has been a pretty awesome thing.”