World Snooker Championship successive title. There were 48 century breaks during the final stages, a new record. In the first round of 1997 championship Ronnie O'Sullivan made the fastest maximum break in snooker history, taking just 5 minutes and 20 seconds. The final was between Stephen Hendry and Irishman Ken Doherty. Doherty led 15–7 before Hendry won 5 frames in a row. Doherty then won the next three frames to win 18–12, ending Hendry's winning run of 29 consecutive matches. Stephen Hendry lost to Jimmy White in the first round of the 1998 championship. Doherty reached the final again meeting 22-year-old John Higgins.
2014 World Snooker Championship qualifying stage of the World Championship was the first snooker event held at the venue. There were 58 century breaks in the televised stage of the World Championship. For every century break made during the 17-day championship in Sheffield, the title sponsor, Dafabet, donated £100 to World Snooker’s official charity, the Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice. There were 69 century breaks in the qualifying stage of the World Championship: 2014 World Snooker Championship The 2014 World Snooker Championship (also referred to as the 2014 Dafabet World Snooker Championship for the purposes of sponsorship) was a professional ranking snooker tournament, that took