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Chang Jung-Lin: 1985 – 2025
Chang Jung-Lin was a towering presence, both in terms of physical stature and career achievement.
The tower was cruelly felled last week when the 40 year-old from Taiwan died suddenly in Jakarta, Indonesia.
His passing has left the world of pool deeply saddened, shocked and, as always in such unfathomably tragic circumstances, grieving for one taken so young.
Chang was competing in the Indonesian capital. He had won a match the day he died, adding another wrenching layer to the subsequently dreadful news.
Rarely is abruptness so truly awful.
Chang had been due to take part here in Jeddah at the World Pool Championship, a serious contender to bolster a lengthy list of notable titles.
He was then heading to Chengdu in China to represent his country at the World Games, no doubt hoping to go one better than in Columbia twelve years ago when he collected a silver medal.
It was again silver when Chang announced his arrival on the international stage by reaching the final of the 2003 World Junior Championship but, so often while developing into a formidable opponent, he struck gold.
Known in his homeland as ‘Devil Fire Cloud’ Chang turned up the heat on rivals all around the world. He was victorious in Virginia, brilliant in Beijing, joyous in Japan.
Chang won the All-Japan Championship in both 2012 and 2017, the Beijing 9-Ball Open in 2011, the 2020 Las Vegas Open and, as recently as last year, prevailed at the Asian 10-Ball Championship.
Having studied at the Chinese Culture University, Chang embarked on a mission to display versatility at the highest level in all disciplines of the game.
©Taka G. Wu/Matchroom Pool
Emerging from the traditionally stacked field, Chang became International Open champion in 2018 and was hugely impressive on the way to triumphing at the Derby City Classic’s Bigfoot Challenge in 2019.
They were major milestones, but Chang’s biggest moment came at the 2012 World 8-Ball Championship in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.
In his three matches immediately preceding the final, Chang overcame Carlo Biado (9-5), Oliver Ortmann (9-3) and Chris Melling (9-7) before lifting the trophy by beating Fu Che-Wei, a fellow countryman, 11-6.
Chang was a frequent World Nine-Ball Tour competitor, always on the list of potential success stories.
I last saw him play at the UK Open in Telford. Strolling around the outside tables during a break in commentary, I paused to watch the big man stroke in a 9-Ball from distance with customary authority.
At the time, the moment had little resonance. Now, whenever I revisit my memories of Chang, it will be front and centre, my personal snapshot of a truly outstanding cueman.
©Taka Wu/Matchroom Pool
緬懷世界冠軍：“火雲邪神” 張榮麟
張榮麟: 1985 – 2025
張榮麟無論在體格或成就方面都堪稱巨擘。上週，這位40歲的台灣選手在印尼雅加達突然離世，這座巨塔被殘酷地摧毀。他的離世讓撞球界深感悲痛和震驚，如同以往一樣，在如此悲痛的境遇中，人們為如此年輕的離世而悲痛不已。張榮麟當時正在印尼雅加達參加比賽。他去世當天剛贏得一場比賽，這給隨後傳來的噩耗又增添了一層令人心碎的陰影。很少有突如其來的噩耗如此令人痛心。
張原本計劃參加在吉達舉行的世界桌球錦標賽，他將成為許多著名冠軍強而有力的競爭者。有望為他贏得更多重要冠軍頭銜。緊接著，他將往中國成都代表參加世界運動會，毫無疑問，他希望能比12年前在哥倫比亞獲得銀牌時取得更好的成績。
在台灣被被稱為 “火雲邪神” 的張榮麟，向世界各地的對手展現了他的侵略性。他在維吉尼亞州贏得勝利，在北京取得了輝煌的成績，在日本更是收穫滿滿。張榮麟在2012和2017年贏得了全日本錦標賽冠軍，在2011年贏得了北京9號球公開賽冠軍，在2020年贏得了拉斯維加斯公開賽冠軍，而去年，他還贏得了亞洲10號球錦標賽冠軍。
©JP Parmentier/Matchroom Sport
畢業於中國文化大學後，張榮麟立志在各項比賽中展現出自己的最高水平。張榮麟從高手如雲的選手中脫穎而出，奪得2018年國際公開賽冠軍，並在2019年德比城經典賽Bigfoot挑戰賽中一路高歌猛進，最終奪冠。這些都是他人生中重要的里程碑，但張榮麟最輝煌的時刻則是在2012年於阿拉伯富查伊拉舉行的世界8號球錦標賽。
在決賽前的三場比賽中，張榮麟先後擊敗 Carlo Biado (9-5)、德國名將 Oliver Ortmann (9-3) 和英國名將 Chris Melling (9-7)，最終以11-6擊敗傅哲偉，捧起獎盃。
張榮麟是世界九號球巡迴賽的常客，總是成為奪冠熱門之一。我上次看他比賽是在特爾福德舉行的英國公開賽。當時，適逢解說後的休息時間，我在外頭附近閒逛，駐足觀看這位大個子以慣常的遠距離擊球。當下，那一刻並沒有什麼共鳴。現在，每當我回想起張榮麟，那一刻都會浮現在我的腦海裡，那是一位真正傑出的撞球選手的縮影。
譯: AC