Wu Chia-ching, the Taishan Kid--Youngest Champion in Pool History

Summer is when junior and senior high school graduates take examinations as they stand at the door of a new stage in their lives. Wu Chia-ching accomplished his feat on the same day that this year's second Basic Competence Test for Junior High School Students came to a close. At an age when most are still feeling their way, Wu has a laser focus.

He decided long ago what he wan-ted and knew that becoming world champion would exact a price-less time in Internet cafes, more discipline-and because he would be spending less time cracking books, grades could not be a top priority. The head of Taishan's physical education department, Liu Li-shu, who was well aware of this pool wizard's talent, provided Wu with extra guidance in his coursework throughout his three years in middle school, while deflecting pressure from a society that still puts studies above all else.

In 2003, winning fourth place in his debut professional pool championship by outplaying seemingly indomitable local big names like Lee Kun-fang and Yang Ching-shun served to make Wu Chia-ching, then only 14, all the more focused. At the time, only a few figures in the world of pool foresaw the rise of this star.

On this day in July, as his classmates pored over tests, he was preparing for a battle of a completely different kind. In the world championships held in the port city of Kaohsiung, he would face greats, all much older than him, from around the world.

This year's purse, US$350,000, drew 128 players from 43 countries. Tai-wan's biggest names included Chao Fong-pang and Yang Ching-shun, both from Kaohsiung, who won the title in 1993 and 2000, respectively. Stars from abroad included last year's champion Alex Pagulayan from Canada; 2003's winner Thorsten Hohmann from Germany; top-ranked player in the world today Ralf Souquet; Earl Strickland from the US, the only three-time champion; the winner in 1999, "the Magician" Efren Reyes from the Philippines; "pool king" Francisco Bus-tamante; and 2001 champion Mika Immonen from Finland.

After four days of competition, Wu Chia-ching got what he had wished for on his 16th birthday-a chance to compete in the final round. His opponent: fellow Taiwanese Kuo Po-cheng. Wu held the lead throughout most of the match. Towards the end, with a succession of beautiful shots, however, Kuo unexpectedly began to dominate and it looked as if he were about to turn the tables. But Wu hunkered down and did what he had to do to sweep the next four games and win 17 to 16. At 16 years and five months of age, he became the youngest champion in pool history.

20 years ago, pool halls, regarded as hangouts for juvenile delinquents, were listed alongside gambling and prostitution as one of the "eight special businesses" and kids who liked to play were considered hooligans. Over the past ten years, however, the emergence of pool champions in Taiwan has served to chip away at these stereotypes, as greats like Cool Hand Chao Fong-pang and female stars Jennifer Chen and Liu Shin-mei have done exceptionally well in international competitions, winning glory and gold for their country. Professionalization of the sport and the media have played important roles. Times and heroes create each other. To kids that like to knock a few balls around, the door is finally wide open. Wu Chia-ching, who shrugged off tests in favor of the pool table, has been raised by his grandmother single-handedly after his parents divorced when he was very young. Having won the championship at such a tender age, the Taishan Kid has a potentially long career ahead of him. The image of his grandmother and him embracing following his triumph has been entered into this year's chapter of the annals of sports history.

In summer when problems of juvenile delinquency peak, this bright-eyed young man set aside issues of stereotypes and dysfunctional families. He focused and cleaned the table. Neither his victory nor his skills are to be taken lightly.