This stands out because it is uncommon for a parent and child to compete for the same national team at a world championship in any sport, and rarer still for an uncle to complete the family group on the same global stage. The event runs from roughly 20–28 October 2026 at the Thistle Hotel (Heathrow area), organised under the World Pool-Billiard Association with a substantial prize fund.
The family members and their categories
- Erin Lazarus (23, Durban North): Competes in the Open Ladies division (singles, doubles, and team events). She is ranked number one in the South African Ladies Team and is a University of KwaZulu-Natal Business Science (Finance) student balancing exams and intensive practice.
- Ian Lazarus (her father, Durban North): Competes in the Grandmasters (60+) division in singles and doubles. This is his first opportunity to represent South Africa after years of competitive play; he will partner his brother in doubles.
- Graeme Lazarus (Ian’s brother, Westville): Also in the Grandmasters (60+) singles and doubles.
Erin has described the situation as unexpectedly special: her father introduced her to the sport at age 16, and she never expected all three to qualify for the same world championships. Ian has called sharing the stage with his daughter (and brother as doubles partner) a dream after years of primarily watching her compete.
Erin’s background and achievements
Erin began seriously after her father encouraged her at a Westville pool hall around age 15–16; the family later installed a home table to support her development. She has built an impressive record while studying:
- South African Blackball National Ladies singles champion (2025, won in her hometown Durban).
- Multiple KwaZulu-Natal titles and provincial honours; first woman ranked number-one seed in the U23 division in KZN in 2025.
- World Doubles title (with a partner in Morocco, 2022).
- Team silver medals at recent World Championships (including Bridlington, England, 2024).
- Silver in Blackball at the Commonwealth Billiard Games in Mauritius (2025).
She has represented South Africa multiple times since her teens (including earlier youth and senior selections) and has spoken about aiming for the singles title this time—something that has eluded her—while also targeting team gold after previous silvers. Balancing university studies, exams, and high-level training has required significant discipline; she has received institutional support, including recognition from UKZN.
Broader context
Blackball (a British-style eight-ball variant played on smaller tables with coloured rather than solid/striped balls) has a dedicated international following, particularly in Commonwealth countries and parts of Europe. South Africa has a competitive history in the discipline, with past world titles and strong team showings. Family involvement is not unheard of in cue sports given the accessible, club-based nature of the game, but three relatives from one family on the same national world-championship squad is exceptional.
Ian’s path illustrates a common arc in the sport: long-term competitive play at club and provincial levels that eventually yields national selection later in life. For Erin, the event continues a trajectory that began with informal family coaching and progressed to national number-one status and repeated international caps.
The championships themselves feature multiple age and gender categories (including Grandmasters/seniors), singles, doubles, and team events, giving the Lazarus group opportunities both to compete against one another’s results and to support each other across the venue. Erin has noted the practical benefit of being able to watch family members’ matches, while Ian has highlighted the personal pride of standing alongside his daughter rather than only supporting from the sidelines.
This story highlights both the intergenerational transmission of sporting passion and the accessibility of blackball as a lifelong competitive pursuit. For the Lazarus family of Durban North and Westville, October 2026 in London will be memorable regardless of the final medal tally.
