World Snooker Championship: Mark Allen fires maximum 147 break at Crucible

Mark Allen fired a maximum 147 break but he is one frame away from defeat in his World Snooker Championship match against Chris Wakelin.

The Northern Irish star clinched the 15th maximum at the Crucible and the first since Mark Selby's clearance in the 2023 final after a nightmare start to the session that saw him slip 10-2 behind against the qualifier.

Allen punched the air after sinking the black and was warmly congratulated by Wakelin.

• World Snooker Championship 2025 full draw and qualifiers
• Snooker news: Ronnie O'Sullivan, Judd Trump and more ?
• Sky Sports on WhatsApp: News, videos and analysis ?
• Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream on NOW ?
• Eubank Jr v Benn: Book to watch on TV or online ?

The Antrim star made his intentions clear in the first frame after the mid-session interval, targeting a long black and riding his luck on the yellow to wrap up his first 147 at the famous venue.

It was Allen's fifth maximum of his career to scoop the £40,000 bonus and earn a member of the crowd £25,000 in the process.

But Wakelin still retains the chance to secure a place in his first quarter-final with a session to spare having closed with a 12-4 lead in the best-of-25 tie.

A remarkable session had started in anguish for Allen, who missed a simple yellow off its spot in the first frame of the day to gift Wakelin a 7-2 lead.

The 33-year-old from Rugby, who beat former world champion Neil Robertson in round one, then proceeded to play faultless snooker as he reeled off the next three frames without Allen scoring a point, including three remarkable pots with the white tight on the bottom cushion.

Wakelin potted a yellow to the middle in the 12th frame that seven-time champion Stephen Hendry, commentating on the BBC, called "one of the best shots I've ever seen".

Co-commentator Steve Davis hailed an "astonishing performance" by Wakelin, adding: "There have been some fantastic shots played over the years at the Crucible, but that's up there in the top 10 for me."

Jackson Page became the first player to make two 147s in the same match, bagging the £147,000 Triple Crown bonus during qualifying.

The Welshman produced the perfect frame twice in his 10-2 win over Allan Taylor in Sheffield.

Ronnie O'Sullivan famously made the fastest 147 break in five minutes and eight seconds in the first round of the 1997 World Championship.

'The Rocket' won £147,000 in prize money for the maximum, averaging 8.8 seconds per shot.

CRUCIBLE MAXIMUMS

• Cliff Thorburn: 1983
• Jimmy White: 1992
• Stephen Hendry: 1995
• Ronnie O'Sullivan: 1997
• Ronnie O'Sullivan: 2003
• Mark Williams: 2005
• Ronnie O'Sullivan: 2008
• Ali Carter: 2008
• Stephen Hendry: 2009
• Stephen Hendry: 2012
• John Higgins: 2020
• Neil Robertson: 2022
• Kyren Wilson: 2023
• Mark Selby: 2023
• Mark Allen: 2025

(c) Sky Sports 2025: World Snooker Championship: Mark Allen fires maximum 147 break at Crucible