The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
By Robert Andaya
A whooping cash prize of US$100,000 will be at stake in the Sharks International 9-Ball Open, according to event organizer Hadley Mariano.
The prestigious competition is scheduled on July 24-29 at the Sharks Arena along Tomas Morato in Quezon City with a total of 128 players, including 64 foreigners, seeing action.
But the bigger picture is that organizers led by Hadley Mariano are hoping that the $100,000 tournament will reopen the doors for bigger events to be staged in the country.
“This is our first international tournament after so many years,” said Mariano during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex last Tuesday.
“This is not a one-time deal. Sana maipasok natin ulit ang mga international tournaments. We’re looking at the Presidential Cup.
We’re already in the planning stage na,” added Mariano, don 9f well-known billiards patron Perry Mariano.
Mariano said the winner will get the lion’s share of $30,000.
The unnerup will pocket P15,000 all the way down to the top 32.
The event, which is being supported by the Quezon City government under Mayor Joy Belmonte and Games and Amusements Board (GAB) and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) will use the Matchroom format of double-round elims leading to the 64-player knockout stage and the finals.
Leading the Philippine charge are the best of the best, including the veterans led by Django Bustamante, Carlo Biado, Dennis Orcollo and newly-crowned World Cup of Pool champions Johann Chua and James Aranas.
Chua, a SEA Games champion, and Aranas, who is hoping to make it to the national team, joined Mariano in the forum presented by San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Sports Commission, MILO, Philippine Olympic Committee and PAGCOR.
Mariano said they expect the best Asian players to vie in the event with perhaps less than a dozen coming from Europe.
Chua and Aranas, both 31 years old, are confident that Filipino players will end on top of the Sharks International.
Photo shows Hadley Mariano, Johann Chua and James Aranas.