Lo Ho-sum made a name for himself by reaching the final of the World Pool Masters on Sunday, and he hopes it can help secure a future for Hong Kong’s cue sports players . Relatively unknown on the world stage, the Hongkonger had been handed a wild-card place in the Masters in Gibraltar and made the opportunity count, announcing himself with a string of spectacular victories. Newly crowned world nine-ball champion Shane Van Boening was among those Lo beat as he reached the final, where he lost to Germany’s Joshua Filler. The scores were level at 6-6 before the 2018 world champion ended Lo’s hopes, winning 9-6. But 23-year-old Lo said he hoped he had shown cue sports were “worth their place” among those receiving top-level funding in Hong Kong when their status is reviewed next April . “This result means a lot to me, because our sport is in danger of getting booted out [of the top funding bracket],” he said. “It shows the importance of billiard sports in Hong Kong.” Lo hailed “a wonderful journey” after he progressed through the preliminary stage then left some sizeable dents in the main draw. In the round of 16, he met two-time winner Van Boening, who last month won the World Nine-Ball Championship, at which Lo managed Hong Kong’s best ever showing of 17th place and earned his wild card. But the American was sent crashing out in Gibraltar. “Knowing that all of the players are highly ranked in the world, I had no expectations and even expected to go out in the first match,” Lo said. “My victory against Van Boening was the most memorable, given he was the defending world champion and no one expected me to win.” There was more to come in the quarter-finals, as Lo came back to beat World Championship semi-finalist Abdullah Alyousef of Kuwait after trailing 4-1. He defeated Mieszko Fortunski of Poland 7-5 in the semi-finals to set up the final with Filler. Having proven his worth to the world’s best, Lo hopes to help cue sports satisfy the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI). Failure to retain tier A status could leave players’ futures under threat. Cue sports would lose 80 per cent of their funding, according to the city’s billiards chiefs, with grants to players – including Marco Fu Ka-chun and Ng On-yee – being cut in half. They would also lose training and logistical assistance. Hong Kong snooker players campaign for 2026 Asian Games inclusion The criteria require cue sports’ reinstatement to the Asian Games after exclusion from every Games since 2010. The Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong last week requested cue sports be included in the 2026 Games in Nagoya, in a letter to their organiser, the Olympic Council of Asia. “I hope my results show that just because we are not competing in the Asian Games or the Olympics does not mean we are not athletes, or unworthy of support,” Lo said. “All I’ve accomplished here in Gibraltar is the consequence of being fostered at the HKSI with its superb assistance – high-quality coaches, facilities and financial support.” There are 39 funded players in cue sports. Including Fu and Ng, 13 players receive elite monthly funding of HK$32,700 to HK$38,540 (US$4,000 to US$5,000). Lo’s results in Gibraltar qualify him to be promoted to that elite group next April. Lo turned full-time aged 15, and seven years ago was the first Hongkonger to finish third at the world under-19 championship. He will play in the UK Open Pool Championship in London next week.