JONATHAN MARWOOD, head of PE at Easingwold School, declared himself “thrilled” with his performance at the recent World Billiards Championships at the Northern Snooker Centre in Leeds.

Marwood, who plays for Harrogate Conservative Club in the Harrogate League and for his native Harome in the Ryedale League, reached the last 32 in both strands of the annual tournament, which is split between separate timed and point divisions.

“I was really proud of how I played,” he said. “My aim was to try to get into the last 32 of both competitions, which I did.”

In the timed contests, which last for two hours (as opposed to the 150-up format, where the winner is the first player to reach 150 points), Marwood secured a spot in the last-32 courtesy of a thrilling group-stage victory over Canada’s Fraser Durham.

He led by more than 140 points after 40 minutes, but Durham fought back to square things up with just 20 minutes to go.

The Canadian then surged into a 29-point lead with eight minutes left on the clock, but Marwood produced a composed, and crucial, break of 77 to take the win.

In the last 32, he succumbed to the peerless Pankaj Advani, who eventually went on to win both formats of the tournament.

The Indian ace has previously been on the professional snooker circuit and recently hit a 147 break, but was forced to work hard for his win against Marwood, who had powered to a sizeable lead at the half-hour mark.

In the 150-up format, Marwood again gathered momentum with some impressive group-stage victories, but then fell to the formidable ex-world champion David Causier in the last-32.

“The experience of playing against Advani and Causier was unbelievable,” the Harome cueman said. “It makes you appreciate how good they are - their control of the cueball and object balls is inch perfect.”

Marwood should also marvel at his own meteoric rise – he played billiards in his teens but only started again properly four years ago, and is now ranked number 31 in the world.

Despite his work commitments at Easingwold School he manages to practice twice a week, and also plays on two nights for Harrogate Conservative Club or Harome.

Marwood has played billiards for England twice in the past, but his focus is now on future World Championships.

“My ambition was to qualify for the World Championships this year and once there I had a goal to get through to the last-32 in both which I did, so I was really pleased," he said.

"Targets for next year would be again to qualify for the World Championships as they are again in Leeds. The year after that, countries bid to have them, so they could be held anywhere."

In addition to his remarkable exploits with the cue, the father-of-two was a prolific run-scorer for Easingwold Cricket Club in the York & District Senior League before hanging up his cricket whites last season, and is also a talented golfer.