What is on Zhao Xintong’s bow tie? Chimchar is gracing the Crucible final
It's Chimchar!
Zhao Xintong is sporting a unique bow tie at this year’s World Snooker Championship, bringing a Pokemon into the Crucible.
The 28-year-old has been playing this event for almost a month as he come in at the first round of qualifying on April 7.
The Chinese star won four matches in qualifying just to reach the Crucible and has won four more to make it all the way to the final.
He is taking on Mark Williams in the showpiece in Sheffield, bidding to become the first world champion from China in the sport’s history.
Throughout the event, from the first round of qualifiers, Zhao has been wearing a special bow tie featuring a little character.
That character is a Pokemon called Chimchar, which he hoped to bring him some luck in the tournament.
He said of his fashion choice: ‘This is my new bow tie, I think it gives me some luck. When I was very young I saw the Pokemon, I liked it.’
Chimchar is a fire monkey, with Pokemon.com explaining: ‘It is very agile. Before going to sleep, it extinguishes the flame on its tail to prevent fires.’
There cannot be much argument with that sense of health and safety from Chimchar, with the flame-tailed primate clearly a level-headed chap.
A fascinating detail provided by PokemonDB.net reads: ‘The gas made in its belly burns from its rear end. The fire burns weakly when it feels sick.’
After battling through qualifying, Zhao has beaten Jak Jones, Lei Peifan, Chris Wakelin and then Ronnie O’Sullivan to make it to the final.
Having previously won just one match at the Crucible, it is an epic run from the star who is competing as an amateur after returning from a 20-month ban from the sport.
Zhao was found guilty of being concerned in fixing matches on the World Snooker Tour and betting on snooker in June 2023 and hit with a ban.
That ban came to an end in September 2024 and he returned to the amateur circuit, having fallen off the professional tour while out of the game.
The Cyclone largely blew away the competition on the Q Tour, earning a return to the professional ranks and a spot in World Championship qualifying.
He has proved impossible to stop in Sheffield so far and has made a brilliant start to his first experience of a Crucible final.
Zhao raced into an early lead and finished the first session 7-1 ahead of Williams and while the second did not go as well, he still holds a commanding 11-6 lead heading into Monday’s action.
There is £500,000 on the line for the winner on Monday, while history will be made either way as Zhao can become the first Chinese world champion, while Williams can claim the record as the oldest World Championship winner.
