Snooker ace Ding to donate bonus for quake relief
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-05-17 10:06

HEFEI, East China - Ding Junhui promised to donate all his game bonus to the disaster relief against the country's worst quake in recent decades, said the Chinese star with the 2008 Huangshan Cup Snooker All-star Game entering the last three days.

"When the quake started, I was practising snooker. I heard from many friends that some areas were damaged pretty seriously," said Ding at a press conference on Thursday. "I hope I can do something to help, but one man's power is limited. I hope everyone can give a hand."

The earthquake measuring 7.8 Richter Scale jolted southwest China's Sichuan Province at 2:28 p.m. on Monday. By Thursday, nearly 20,000 people were confirmed dead in the most destructive quake in the country in decades.

After the domestic selection game closed on Thursday, Ding and Liang Bowen, along side with Liu Chuang and Jin Long, entered the international phrase and will vie with stars like Stephen Hendry, Mark Williams from Friday to Sunday.

Fu Jiajun from Hong Kong said: "It's a wonderful thing to compete with these first-class players, and it will be an exciting game."

Due to unsolved matter of poor performance during a press conference at the earlier China Open, Ronnie O' Sullivan had to change his schedule and let slip the game.

The tournament, consisting of two-day national selection and three-day international competition, started here Wednesday at the capital city of East China's Anhui Province and will end on Sunday.