Biado wins 10-ball Jogia Open

Filipino cue master Carlo Biado defeated compatriot Jundel Mazon in all-Filipino finals showdown, 13-11, to capture the title in the 10-ball Jogia Open International Billiards Tournament recently at the Rama Billiard Hall in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

“First of all I would like to thank God for winning this prestigious international billiards tournament, my wife who is always beside me and my relatives and friends as well.” said the 34-year-old Biado, who became the fifth Filipino to ever win the men’s world championship title.

The La Union native was also the first player since Francisco “Django” Bustamante in 2010 to finish on top of a competition that saw 128 players from over 40 countries compete for the top prize by beating countryman Roland Garcia, 13-5, in the 2017 World 9-Ball Championship held at the Al Arabi Sports Club in Doha, Qatar last December.

On the road to the all-Filipino finals of the competition, Biado needed to beat Ricky Yang of Indonesia, 11-5, in the semifinal matches, while Mazon toppled another Filipino entry in Hushley Jusayan, 11-9, in the other final four match.

For winning the 2018 10-ball Jogja Open, Biado pocketed $12,000. Mazon, on the other hand, went home with $6,000 while Jusayan received $2,000.

Among those who celebrated Biado’s victory was international billiards and snooker champion Marlon Manalo, who said his compatriot’s triumph, as well as the decent finishes of two other Filipinos in the prestigious tilt added to the nation’s pride and glory in the global sporting scene.

“Once again, our flag has been raised in a foreign land after our kababayans Carlo Biado, Jundel Mazon and Hushley Jusayan completed the Philippines’ domination of the just-concluded 10-ball Jogja Open International Billiard Tournament 2018. Their triumph in the event gave us another reason to be proud as Filipinos,” he enthused. MARLON BERNARDINO