Final showdown with sporting legend

Pictured: Robbie Chilcott who took on the former world champion in the final at Redcliffe.

Redcliffe’s Robbie Chilcott may have lost the Queensland Open final - but it took one of billiards’ greatest players to do it.

Chilcott, the state champion, went down 978-589 to five-time world champion Peter Gilchrist at Redcliffe Snooker Club on Sunday.

Gilchrist had three breaks of over 100 (highest 152) in the three-hour championship final, taking his tournament tally to 11.

Over the three-day event , Singapore-based Gilchrist's top breaks were 249 and 242 – some way short of his world record 1346.

Putting that in context, only one other player among the 32 at Redcliffe recorded a three-figure break, though Chilcott reached 98 during the final.

Gilchrist’s dominance matched Chilcott’s pre-tournament forecast for himself and North Lakes’ Josh Hands: “We definitely won’t be winning” he said.

“Peter is simply that good. He’s head and shoulders above everyone else and was world number one until just recently.”

Chilcott cruised through Group D scoring 974 points in three 75-minute games before winning 351-189 against Chee Yap in the Last 16, over 90 minutes.

He beat Jayden Dinga 563-266 in the quarter-finals and Simon Scerri 450-380 in the semi-finals (both 120 minutes) to make the final against Peter Gilchrist.

Josh Hands, 19, the Queensland Under 21 champion, qualified for the Last 16 – which was his pre-tournament aim - from Group C.

Hands beat Don Richter 221-182, with a highest break of 44, but lost a nail-biter to Gene Crossingham by just three points 237-234.

That secured second place in the pool and a Last 16 clash against Simon Scerri who won 411-187 before bowing out to Chilcott in the semis.