By MARK REY MONTEJO
It all goes down to four players and one Filipino is assured of entering the final where the pool’s most prestigious title and $250,000 (around P14 million) await for the grand champion.
That, after veteran Carlo Biado and emerging star Bernie Regalario outlasted their respective foes to arrange an all-Filipino semifinal duel in the World Pool Championship at the Green Halls in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Saturday, July 26.
The 41-year-old Biado, who once ruled the 9-Ball competition in 2017, got the better of former world champion Taiwanese Ko Ping Chung by notching an 11-7 quarterfinal win, while Regalario earned his semis ticket after a huge upset on the h2023 champ Spanish Francisco Sánchez Ruiz, 11-4.
Vying in the other semifinal pairing are reigning champion American Fedor Gorst and Albanian Kledio Kaci – a matchup that features last year’s finalists. Gorst advanced in the Final Four through an 11-4 demolition of Filipino Jefrey Roda, on the other hand, Kaci punched his ticket after disarming Iraq’s Ameer Ali, 11-9.
“Bernie is young, but he can beat anybody. He’s a real fighter—one of the best young players in the Philippines,” said Biado on his semis clash with Regalario. “If he beats me, I’ll be cheering for him in the final.”
Prior to their quarters triumphs, the two Filipino cue artists survived first their compatriots in Last 16 with Biado carving out an 11-9 win against Jeffrey Ignacio – same winning scoreboard for the 20-year-old sensation Regalario over Patric Gonzales.
No matter what the outcome is, Biado and Regalario are sure to take home $50,000 (P2,857,490) but one of them could give the WNT’s crown jewel to the Philippines for the sixth time.
The last time a Filipino won the tournament was eight years ago where Biado beat Roland Garcia, 13-5, and it almost became back-to-back titles for the former no thanks to German Joshua Filler, who spoiled it via a 13-10 final win in the 2018 edition.
The first four champions from the Philippines in the global joust were Efren “Bata” Reyes (1999), Fil-Canadian Alex Pagulayan (2004), Ronnie Alcano (2006), and Francisco “Django” Bustamante (2010).
Meanwhile, other Filipino players who took part and eventually eliminated were Johann Chua, James Aranas, AJ Manas, Roland Garcia, Anton Raga, Marlon Cañeda, Marvin Asis, Michael Baoanan, Lee Van Corteza, Mark Kalagayan, Rogelio Sotero, Alexis Ferrer, and Michael Feliciano.
