Third attempt. The country’s top billiards player, 41-year-old Daniela Raharinavalona Andriamihaja, leads the list of twenty-seven athletes selected for the International Billiard Federation (IBF) World Championships, which will take place from October 23 to November 1 in Cape Town, South Africa.
Dani will be participating in the world summit for the third time. He reached the quarterfinals in both of his previous appearances. The reigning national champion finished fifth at the 2022 World Championships in Albi, France, and sixth at the 2024 World Championships in Malta.
“Winning the title in Cape Town is possible. We have the level,” emphasized Daniela Andriamihaja during the press conference presenting the national team members by category on Friday in Antaninarenina.
Dani has collected over two hundred trophies in local competitions during his more than 20 years in the sport. He began playing billiards in 2005 at the age of 20 at the Gass Billiard club in Behoririka, then at the Arena in Amparibe, and in recent years, at the In Square Billiard Club in Ambatobe.
Daniela holds four Madagascar champion titles. He served as the room manager of the Lounge In Square from 2017 to 2023, and as the site manager from 2023 to 2025. He is dedicating significant effort to preparing for his third world championship appearance, typically training six hours a day from Monday to Friday and competing in tournaments on Saturdays and Sundays.
“When I prepare for such a high-level international competition, I train at least seven hours a day, in addition to the tournaments,” confided the reigning national champion in the ‘Mens’ category.
“We have the level, but we lack international competition. The governing body of the discipline is not yet well-structured, and we have to pay out of our own pockets for every international trip,” he noted.
Captured & Published at: 2026-09-15 05:39:00 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/09/billard-daniela-andriamihaja-vise-le.html