The focus and discipline required to make it as a professional snooker player is clearly serving Airbus apprentice Gareth Allen well – the 30-year-old has just been awarded First Year Aeronautical Engineering Apprentice of the Year by his college.
Gareth, who rose to the dizzy heights of snooker’s world top 100 having taken on the likes of snooker legends Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins, Ken Doherty and Jimmy White, is now cueing up a career in the aerospace industry at Airbus Broughton.
“I played Ronnie [O’Sullivan] in the China Open in Beijing in 2017 watched by 400 million TV viewers worldwide,” recalls Gareth.
“Snooker is huge in China and, even though I lost the match, it was the best snooker experience of my life – one I will never forget.”
Gareth, who lives in Ewloe Green and is saving up for a house with girlfriend Paige, took hold of his first snooker cue at the tender age of three-years-old on a 4ft table in his grandfather’s house.
“My grandad is a massive snooker fan and played in the Chester Snooker League, so I was introduced to the game from an early age,” says Gareth.
“He was, and remains, a big influence on all I do in life.”
Gareth reached number 86 in the world and achieved a 141 break in competition, and the maximum 147 break in practice sessions.
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But last year, Gareth decided to abandon being a professional snooker player and work for a company his uncle, Mike, had told him would offer him great opportunities – Airbus, where Mike already works.
Gareth’s snooker career had only increased his interest in aviation, as he traveled around the world on the snooker pro tours: He said: “I’ve been around Broughton all my life and when you live around here, next to Airbus and Hawarden Airport, you grow up with the company.
“I love flying and Airbus is an amazing company to work for - there are so many opportunities to travel and work around the world.”