Coimbatore: Snenthra Babu, Class IX student from the city becomes the first-ever girl from Coimbatore to represent India (Under 16) category and the girl will be taking part in the International Billiards and Snookers Federation (IBSF) World snooker championship to be held in Russia this August.
Coimbatore: Snenthra Babu, a 14-year old Class 9 student from the city earned the distinction of becoming the first-ever girl from Coimbatore to represent India in the Under-16 category at the International Billiards and Snookers Federation's (IBSF) World Snooker Championship to be held in Russia, this month.
Snenthra developed a love for Billiards and Snooker having been inspired just seeing her father play the sport. Acknowledging the keen interest evinced by Snenthra in the sport, her father enrolled her for Billiards coaching classes where she is said to have gained a lot of confidence and developed her interest in the game.
Snenthra started playing billiards under the guidance of her coach Prem Prakash and participated in a few state level and national level competitions in a very short period of time.
At the state level competition, Snenthra finished at third place in Snooker and secured a fourth place in Billiards. She was not able to maintain the good performance at the national level. “Snenthra took her failures in a positive way which paved the way for her to earn a spot in the Indian team.
She shone in the selection trials which was conducted recently at Delhi,” says her coach Prem Prakash. Finishing at the top in the selection trials at Delhi earned her a spot in the international championship.
About eight players from India are taking part in the tournament at Russia, out of which three of them are from Tamil Nadu, with Snenthra being the first ever from Coimbatore to participate in the tournament, in her category.
The IBSF championship is to be held between August 18 to 24 at Tyumen, Russia, and Snenthra is being trained by Prem Prakash (Billiards) and Naveen (Snookers).