Michal Szubarczyk, a 14-year-old snooker prodigy, is hoping to break Ronnie O’Sullivan’s World Championship record that has stood for 33 years over the next week.
Szubarczyk, who hails from Poland, has been shining on both the youth and senior snooker circuit in recent times.
Last month, Szubarczyk won the Under-16 and Under-18 titles at the European Championship, while the 14-year-old also reached the final of the open-age event before he lost to Liam Highfield.
The teen’s form has been so good that Szubarczyk was offered a two-year card on the World Snooker Tour, the main professional tour in the sport.
And, Szubarczyk is now hoping to become the youngest player to ever qualify for the World Championship at the Crucible, which take place from April 19 to May 5 this year.
That accolade currently belongs to the legendary O’Sullivan, who qualified at the age of 16 in 1992. He was 17 years and five months old when he made his debut at the event the following year given qualifying was held months in advance of the tournament.
Snooker sensation Michal Szubarczyk, 14, is hoping to qualify for the World Championship
The 14-year-old, who is from Poland, could become the youngest player to qualify for the tournament, beating Ronnie O’Sullivan’s record from 1992 when he qualified at the age of 16
Szubarczyk has been shining on both the youth and senior snooker circuit in recent times
O’Sullivan, who has since won seven world titles, was beaten in the first round by Alan McManus on that occasion.
Meanwhile, Luca Brecel, who triumphed in 2023, is the youngest player to play at the tournament, featuring in 2012 when he was 17 years and 45 days old.
However, given his age, Szubarczyk will smash both of those records if he can successfully navigate the qualifying stage, which takes place over the next week at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield from April 8 to April 15.
The Pole takes on Dean Young in the first round, with the winner of that tie set to face Stan Moody.
To earn a spot at the Crucible, Szubarczyk must win four consecutive matches at qualifying, with 16 spots available for 144 players.
Even if the teen sensation fails to reach the World Championship, one victory would still see him become the youngest player to ever win a qualifying match at the World Championships.
That record is currently held by Liam Davies, who was 15 years and 277 days old at the time.
Meanwhile, Szubarczyk’s performances in the sport have unsurprisingly gained plaudits from key figures, including three-time world champion Mark Williams.
Szubarczyk’s displays have seen him compared to seven-time world champion O’Sullivan
Speaking last month, Williams admitted he was left in shock by the Pole’s ‘frightening’ displays and compared him to O’Sullivan.
‘I was in Turkey watching the Europeans, I watched a young boy there and came back and told everyone in the club that this is one of the best 14-year-olds I’ve ever seen in my life,’ he said.
‘Up there with O’Sullivan. Maybe not as good, but not far away. Every time I watched him he was knocking in 80s, 90s, 100s. It was frightening.
‘I was speaking to John Higgins up in Telford and said: “Watch out for this kid, it’s something I haven’t seen for donkey’s!”‘
