'I won £147k at the World Snooker Championship - I would give it all back if I could'

 A huge amount of prize money has already been awarded at the 2025 World Snooker Championship.

Jackson Page made snooker history

Jackson Page banked £147,000 at the World Snooker Championship, despite failing to qualify for the tournament. And he would have given that money back just to have played at the iconic Crucible Theatre in 2025. The young Welsh prodigy left spectators in awe during qualifying by becoming the first player to notch up two 147 maximum breaks in one game.

The 23-year-old said that he would trade his historic feat in an instant for the chance to compete in the first round. For his unprecedented double maximum achievement, Page pocketed a £147,000 reward courtesy of the World Snooker Tour chiefs, allocated for any player achieving two 147 breaks across the Triple Crown events.

Yet, this incredible accomplishment couldn't secure him a spot at snooker's most coveted tournament. Page triumphed over Allan Taylor with a 10-2 scoreline, courtesy of his perfect breaks, but subsequently succumbed to Joe O'Connor 10-7, who sealed his place against John Higgins.

Even with an extra £10,000 bonus for a 147 in qualifying and the potential £15,000 tournament high break prize on the line, which has since been equalled by Mark Allen, these financial incentives failed to mitigate Page's disappointment. The aspiring champion lamented missing out on the ultimate prize.

"I think I'd rather be at the Crucible," Page said. "You've got a chance of winning if you're there and I was here to win the tournament, I'm not now.

Jackson Page would swap his 147s for a place at the Crucible

"I know this might sound silly but I think I'd rather be at the Crucible. I know I should be happy but I'm not seeing it that way at the minute. I'll give myself a little bit of time and I will see it differently. You're number one at something. Guinness book of records and all that. I will look at it eventually like that, but I'll need a week or two."

Page admitted to struggling with the euphoria following his 147s, stating: "It is tough because you're on such a high. I know last year in this I played Noppon [Saengkham] in the last round and he'd just had a 147 and I beat him. I suppose it's the highs and lows of the game.

"Everyone's been congratulating me, most of the players as well. Even Joe before we went on. It's a great feat but I'm still gutted now."

Previously, Page has attracted accolades from none other than Ronnie O'Sullivan, who considered him a 'complete player’ after they met at the Crucible. "That kid is only 22?" remarked The Rocket. "He's some player."

Despite securing a dominant 10-1 win, the seven-time world champion recognised Page's potential. "He looks like a complete player, ready to challenge the best," O’Sullivan added.