Gibbs pockets spot in national final

Olly Gibbs has reached the final of the English Under-14 Championship.
Olly Gibbs. Picture: Tim DunkleyOlly Gibbs. Picture: Tim Dunkley
Olly Gibbs. Picture: Tim Dunkley

The Gosport starlet beat Havant’s Jamie Wilson 4-3 in the southern final at Pot Black Clacton.

Gibbs, who fought back from 1-0 down, will now face the northern champion for the national title in Gloucester next year.

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It was a nervous start for the left-hander, who only turned 13 this week.

He lost his first group match 2-1 to Evan Plummer, from London.

And only scraped through 2-1 on the final black in his next against Jackson Song, who also hails from the capital.

But a 3-0 victory over Nat Kidner, of Ferndown, put him into the southern semi-finals where he overcame Chandler’s Ford’s Oliver Sykes 3-0.

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Gibbs said: ‘I was nervous because I got knocked out in the groups last year.

‘But once I got through I was more relaxed and I began to play well.’

Gibbs’ mum, Louise, added: ‘We are all really proud.

‘He kept his focus at a slow and steady pace frame by frame.

‘It was a much-needed boost as we lost a dear family member this year and he too would have been extremely proud.’

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Last season’s runner-up Wilson, 12, who is based at and sponsored by Waterlooville Sports Bar, dispatched Plummer in the other last-four match.

In the English Under-16 Championship, Wilson went out to Reggie Edwards, from Norwich, in the southern semi-finals.

He had earlier beaten Basingstoke’s Mickey Joyce in the last-eight.