Shane Van Boening doesn't curse.Doesn't smoke.Doesn't drink.But that's not why his senses, all but one, are heightened

THE CROWD COULD hear Shane Van Boening. He took an audible breath, expelling at least a little bit of the pressure. As he orbited the table, sizing up his shot, his shoes squeaked on the floor.

His eyes narrowed and fixed on the spherical targets; he cocked back his cue like an archer drawing back his bow and fired, sending balls clicking and clacking across the table.

Days earlier, he'd left his home on the great American plains and endured a travel odyssey-multiple flights, coach seating to get to Marshall Arena, a glorified convention hall midway between London and Birmingham. Now, he deployed his skills masterly. The warm spring air outside had found its way inside the venue for this final match of the 2022 World 9-Ball Championship.

The 39-year-old Van Boening had been to the final twice before, one match from winning the sport's biggest title. Both times, he failed to close. And this time, too, started inauspiciously, down 3-1 in racks (each time a player successfully pockets the 9 ball, they win a rack-in this competition, the first to win 13 racks would win the title) to Albin Ouschan, a wiry Austrian. But then, in pool terms, Van Boening "caught a gear."

He began sniping shots with the sort of bloodless efficiency that has characterized his 20-year pro career, dating to his teens when he burst on the pool scene with the irresistible nickname "The South Dakota Kid."

Potting ball after ball, he projected little emotion, drawing even at four racks apiece. Four racks later, they were tied again at six. But then Van Boening-more pool glossary: "in dead stroke"-ran out the match with seven straight racks. Watching table side, one observer rightly called it effortless and breathtaking at the same time.”

With the final ka-tunk—the last a maroonand-yellow striped 9 ball, expertly struck and disappearing from sight into the corner pocket— Van Boening had done it. Finally, he was a world champion. And he would ascend to the sport’s No. 1 ranking. Confetti shot out of a cannon. The crowd cheered rapturously. He jumped atop the table and let out a primal scream.