Players eying Sh7 million prize in Eldoret Carnival

Kenya's professional pool player Patricia Keruche in past action. [File, Standard]

African Pool Champion Aden Joseph of South Africa is among 200 international billiard players set to highlight the Timba-XO International Carnival.

The South African sensation is among tens of international pool players among them former world black ball champion Wetsy Morake also from South Africa as well as Ugandan star Caesar Chandiga.

They will be eying Sh7 million prize purse in the pool tournament that runs from Thursday to Sunday.

According to organisers, the women's event will be a local contest, and the only international - Uganda's Rukia Naiga, who is the reigning African champion, will compete in the men's category.

Kenya Pool and Billiard Federation (KPBF) said players from at least five countries had confirmed participation by Wednesday afternoon.

Organisers said the stage is set for an exhilarating pool tournament at the Timba-XO in Eldoret.

Men's and women's singles events have been lined up with local pool players exuding confidence of top rankings in the tournament that will be used by KPBF to pick a team for the 2025 African Pool Championships set for October.

Pool player Patricia Keruche said the Eldoret tournament will be used to promote pool while delinking it from the idle and gambling man's game.

"For the first time in the country, we have the highest prize money in a pool tournament, which is Sh1 million for the men and Sh300,000 for the women," Keruche said.

KPBF Tournament director, who is also the technical director for the Timba-XO Pool Carnival, Martin Kihato, said the Eldoret contest will be used to select a team that will be invited for the national trials for the 2025 African Pool Championships.

"This is one of the tournaments that will help us identify the players that will be called for a national selection. We will eventually pick the best eight men and a similar number of women who will represent the country in the African event," Kihato said.

30 Ugandans, 20 Tanzanians, Eight Zimbabweans, Zambians (8), South Africans (5), South Sudanese (5) and a Malawian are among Pool players who will be in Eldoret. [Stephen Rutto]