Northern Ireland's Mark Allen produced a moment of snooker perfection at the Crucible on Friday, compiling a magnificent 147 maximum break against Chris Wakelin in their World Championship second-round match.
The remarkable feat came at a time when Allen was facing a daunting 10-2 deficit, having lost all four frames in the morning session.
Allen punched the air in celebration after sinking the final black to complete the maximum, with opponent Wakelin sportingly offering his congratulations.
The Antrim man's moment of brilliance provided a rare bright spot in what has otherwise been a challenging match for the world number eight.
Mark Allen secured a huge payday as a result of his 147 on Friday
PA
In a remarkable display of resilience, Allen had immediately headed to the practice table during the mid-session interval after watching his deficit grow to eight frames.
The decision to recompose himself through practice paid immediate dividends.
Upon returning to the match table, Allen produced snooker's moment of perfection in the first frame after the restart.
It was a stunning turnaround in form for the Northern Irishman, who had earlier missed a straightforward yellow off the spot in the opening frame of the session.
Meanwhile, Wakelin had been in imperious form, compiling breaks of 119, 71 and 75 to establish his commanding lead.
Allen's achievement marks him as only the 11th player to make a 147 at the prestigious Crucible Theatre.
This was the 15th maximum break in the main draw stage of the tournament's illustrious history.
It also represents the first perfect break since Mark Selby's clearance in the 2023 final.
Mark Allen was congratulated after hitting the 147 by Chris Wakelin
PA
The maximum was Allen's first-ever 147 at the Crucible, adding his name to an elite list of players who have achieved snooker's ultimate feat on the sport's grandest stage.
Despite the perfect break, Allen still found himself trailing 10-3 in the best-of-25 encounter.
Allen's remarkable achievement secured him a substantial £40,000 in prize money for the maximum break, courtesy of tournament sponsor Midnite Sports and Casino.
The financial rewards extended beyond the player, with one fortunate snooker fan also set to receive £25,000 thanks to Allen's perfect clearance.
LATEST SPORT NEWS:
MARK ALLEN HITS CRUCIBLE MAX #15! 🔥
— WST (@WeAreWST) April 25, 2025
Congratulations to the @Midnite Maximum Winner Brian Nicholls who wins £25,000 🤯👏#MidniteMaximum | #HaloWorldChampionship pic.twitter.com/K2U6EQsg9K
Despite the lucrative consolation and moment of brilliance, Allen remains in a precarious position in the match.
Trailing 10-3, he needs to win 10 of the remaining 12 frames to advance.
Wakelin, fresh from his shock victory over Neil Robertson, still stands a chance of wrapping up victory with a session to spare.
The Englishman requires just three more frames to eliminate Allen from the tournament.
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