Over the past two months, Caitriona Beggs one of our teachers took leave from Hillcrest High School to support her two sons, Jack (15) and Sean (13), as they represented New Zealand across three major international pool tournaments. Their journey took them to the United States, Ireland, and Vietnam, an incredible experience both on and off the table.
Stop 1: Atlantic City, USA – August 2025
The first stop was in America, where Jack and Sean competed in the SVB Junior U17 Championship, part of the prestigious US Open. In an exciting final, Jack claimed the U17 title while Sean finished third after being narrowly beaten by his big brother in the semi-finals. It was an impressive start to their international campaign.
Stop 2: Ennis, Ireland – September 2025
From there, the boys travelled to Ireland to join the New Zealand U18 Squad competing in the World U18 Ultimate Pool Championships. Representing Aotearoa with pride, they performed exceptionally well, finishing 2nd in Pairs, 5th in Teams, and reaching the Quarter-Finals in Singles. It was a remarkable achievement against the world’s best young players.
Stop 3: Hanoi, Vietnam – October 2025
The final leg of the tour took them to Hanoi, Vietnam, for the U17 Junior Open. Jack continued his strong form, taking out the title and securing back-to-back international wins. In doing so, he became the first junior and the first Kiwi to win consecutive junior events at this level. Sean also performed brilliantly, making deep runs in his matches and contributing to New Zealand’s growing presence on the world stage.
An Unforgettable Experience
Overall, it was an amazing experience, a chance to travel the world, represent New Zealand, and compete against top-level international players. Both boys gained invaluable experience and showed that with passion, practice, and perseverance, young Kiwis can take on the world.
