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HWB Chartered Accountants senior Steven Hughes is set to participate in the World Snooker Federation (WSF) Championship in Albania.
Hughes hopes to pocket the title which offers direct qualification to the World Snooker Tour.
The open tournament is being staged in Golem, south of the capital Tirana, from 3 to 11 February, with Hughes drawn in a “tough” group of four in the 210-player competition.
Included in the tournament line-up is Tony Knowles, a three times semi-finalist in the World Professional Snooker Championship in the 1980s and ranked second in the world in 1984/85 behind Steve Davis.
Officially ‘retired’ from junior snooker because of his age, Hughes plays and practises at Churchills Club in Eastleigh and Chandlers Ford Central Club and competes at least three times a week in local leagues, including the Southampton and District Social Clubs Super League.
Sponsored by Aquatec Plumbing and Heating of Chandlers Ford, he is advised by Hampshire-based coach Tim Dunkley and “renowned” performance coach James Lake, who is based in Beijing, China.
Additionally, Hughes has also now gained his World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) tournament director qualification – the youngest person in Europe to do so – meaning he now has the knowledge to run world-officiated tournaments. He is also currently the “youngest” qualified referee for the English Partnership for Snooker and Billiards (EPSB).
He joined HWB Chartered Accountants in Chandlers Ford four-and-a-half years ago aged 17 straight from Barton Peveril College, Eastleigh and has the advanced section of the ACA (Associate Chartered Accountant) exams to complete to become fully qualified.
His audit work encompasses a wide range of sectors, including sports, maritime, logistics, automotive, leisure industrial and manufacturing and he hopes to eventually work in an advisory capacity for businesses utilising the skills so far learned.
Hughes said: “I can’t wait to get started and have been counting down the days until the tournament starts. It really is the biggest occasion in the world for amateur players and a stepping stone to the professional game.
“HWB is a really good firm to work for. The training programme is exceptional and I believe learning while working is definitely the best way forward, quicker than purely academic routes and I would recommend it to anyone considering a career in accountancy.”
Michaela Johns, HWB director, added: “We wish Steven all the luck in the world and hope he will bring home the trophy for all his colleagues to see. We will be following the tournament online to check his progress.
“He is a popular and valued member of staff who is dedicated and hard-working. Seeing him compete in sport at the highest level internationally gives us great pride.”
