Ding Junhui held his nerve to knock out five-time champion Ronnie O’Sullivan in the World Snooker Championship 2017 at The Crucible. In a classic quarter final match Ding edged to a 13-10 win despite a strong start from O’Sullivan including a magnificent 146 break. It is Ding’s first ranking-event win against O’Sullivan since 2006. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed was at The Crucible.
The head of World Snooker Barry Hearn has defended himself against charges of bullying aired by snooker star, Ronnie O’Sullivan. Hearn responded at a press conference in which he rejected the allegations, adding “I don’t like being called a bully”. Discussing the future of the game, he predicted Europe as well as China will have a big say in shaping its direction. Hearn also announced that the the prize fund for the World Snooker Championship is set to increase again in 2018, with the winner to receive a whopping £425,000, an increase of £50,000 on 2017. Hearn spoke to Sheffield Live! reporter Simon Thake.
Following the Turkish referendum granting sweeping new presidential powers, Sheffield Live! spoke to members of Sheffield’s Turkish community. The narrowly-won constitutional amendments replace the country’s parliamentary democracy with a presidential system and abolish the role of prime minister. International observers said the vote took place in a political environment where “fundamental freedoms essential to a genuinely democratic process were curtailed”. Simon Thake reports.
Sheffield-based Ding Junhui, the most successful Asian player in world snooker, spoke to Sheffield Live! on handling the pressure of top flight snooker. Ding is world number six, last year’s beaten finalist and set to face Ronnie O’Sullivan in the quarter finals of the World Snooker Championship 2017 at The Crucible. He has been an inspiration to the new generation of Chinese snooker players and has been training at the World Snooker Academy since moving to Sheffield in 2006. Ding spoke to Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed about setting up home in Sheffield, which football team he secretly supports and how he copes with life in the spotlight.
Four time World Snooker winner John Higgins tells Sheffield Live! how his priorities have changed over twenty years of top flight snooker. Higgins, known as the Wizard of Wishaw, remains one of the top sixteen players in the world as he competes at the World Snooker Championships 2017. Simon Thake reports for Sheffield Live!
World Snooker promoter Barry Hearn says players have made “amazing improvement” over 40 years of the top international competition. Over seventeen days, 32 players will compete for the coveted World Snooker title at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre with Hearn predicting “a huge number of century breaks”. Azz Mohammed reports for Sheffield Live!
The snooker championship returns to the Crucible Theatre and celebrates the 40th year of World Snooker in Sheffield. World Snooker promoter Barry Hearn has vowed the tournament will remain in the city for at least a further 10 years. Mark Selby lifted the trophy last year and is favourite again this year. Simon Thake reports for Sheffield Live!
Verdon Street Community Centre, Burngreave hosted one of many events in Sheffield and worldwide to mark International Women’s Day 2017. With stalls, music and speeches by local women from a diversity of backgrounds the gathering brought together over 100 participants to celebrate women’s economic, political and social achievements. International Women’s Day is rooted in the struggle for women’s suffrage and equal rights and has been celebrated worldwide since 1911. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!
Lamin Ceesay, a Gambian resident in Sheffield, has spoken to Sheffield Live! about ex-pat fears for the country’s future as the post-election stand-off continues in the former British colony in West Africa. Adama Barrow, the man who won the election in The Gambia in December has been sworn in as the new president. He took the oath of office at his country’s embassy in neighbouring Senegal, ordering Gambian soldiers to remain in their barracks. Meanwhile, Gambian strongman Yahya Jammeh, President of the country since 1994, has refused to step down as his term in office expires. Troops are reported to be on stand-by to remove him by force. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!
Members of Sheffield Palestine Solidarity Campaign picketed the Staples store, Eyre Street, in a call to stop the sale of HP products, part of a wider boycott campaign to defend Palestinian rights. Campaigners claim HP is providing technologies to the Israeli government that are used in oppressive practices and in breach of international law. Invited to comment, an HP spokesperson said: “HP has been strongly committed to socially responsible business practices throughout its 75 year history. It is not our policy to take sides in political disputes between countries or regions. Instead, we focus on making the best products we can to help improve the lives of people around the world.” Sham Powell reports for Sheffield Live!