By MARK REY MONTEJO
Carlo Biado dug deep into his bag of tricks before outlasting Paolo Gallito in a hill-hill all-Filipino showdown, 10-9, to capture the 2026 International Indonesia 10-Ball Open crown in Jakarta over the weekend.
Given little chance to recover after trailing5-8 in their race-to-10 title duel, Biado got the breaks he needed to tie the count at 8-all, but fell behind once more 8-9, before coming through with several tough shots to win the next two racks and complete his remarkable comeback.
The 2025 WNT conqueror took home the trophy and the champion’s purse of $25,000 (P1,538,087), while Gallito, apart from experience, gained $12,000 (P738,282) for his runner-up finish.
“What an incredible journey! I made it again. I would like to thank everyone who supported me throughout this tournament. Your prayers, encouragement, and unwavering support have meant the world to me,” Biado wrote on his social media post.
“To my opponent, Paolo Gallito, congratulations on an amazing tournament. Thank you for making every Filipino proud. Your time will come – keep believing and keep working. Makukuha mo rin ’yan,” he added. “See you in Vietnam. Let’s keep raising the Philippine flag high!”
Prior to his championship run in the 128-player field, Biado bested fellow Filipino Alexis Ferrer (10-4) and hometown bet Rizky (10-2) in the opening round, before he notched a 10-3 victory over Jefrey Roda in Last 16.
The World and Southeast Asian Games gold medalist then gave Jonas Magpantay a reality check with a 10-7 quarters triumph before he toppled Bernie Regalario, 10-6 in the semis.
It was a huge morale-boosting win for Biado as he set to defend his crown in the Asian Pool Championship starting today in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
He ruled the previous edition at the expense of Hong Kong-born Filipino Robbie Capito, 11-7.
