Thorsten Hohmann

Recently thrust into the limelight by his outstanding win at the World Pool Championship last July, Thorsten Hohmann has been making the round all over the globe to attend almost every important tournament.  This modest, soft-spoken German from Fulda recently celebrated his twenty-fourth birthday o­n July 14 in the midst of the excitement in Cardiff.

Having tried almost every kind of sport, from soccer to table tennis, when Hohmann began playing pool in May 1992, he discovered that he had a natural affinity for the game.  He found a club in his hometown, explaining, "The first guy I met is still my teacher today, and he shoed me some things and I fell in love [with the game] the first day."

Hohmann's love of pool ultimately saw him to the World Pool Championships, perhaps the most prestigious title a pool player might earn, where he showed everyone that he truly is world class.  "I couldn't believe it," he recalled.  "On o­ne side, I just played my tournament, I just tried to make the balls, and the other side, my dream came true."

When he's in Germany, Hohmann divides his time between his family's home in Fulda, his flat in Cologne, and his girlfriend Isabel's, home in Frankfurt.  He had planned o­n playing pool and then pursuing an advanced education, but all that has changed now.  The latter half of 2003for him has consisted of traveling from o­ne event to another.  From New York to Las Vegas to Fujairah and back again, Hohmann has experienced in the last few months what many players may work their entire lives to achieve.

The reigning world champion exhibits an incredible amount of focus and dedication.  "First of all, I want to develop my game.  I think I can get a lot of experience out of my invitations now, because now I can play against the best players in the world.  If you want to beat them, you have to play against them many times.  Now I have the technique and everything it takes to be world champion.  But the different thing, the mental thing, you need experience to play against them.  That's why I want to become a better player-that's my goal-and make less mistakes."

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