By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Former world champion Carlo Biado banked on his vast experience to outlast rising star Bernie Regalario, 13-7, in an all-Filipino final and capture the 2nd Chinese Taipei Open 9-Ball Pool Championship title on Friday night, Jan. 12, at the Hulk Billiards Hall in Taipei City.
Out to prove that he’s not yet over the hill, Biado, 40, produced a string of incredible shots to outplay the 19-year-old Regalario and start the year right.
The title win was worth $10,000 (around P550,000) for Biado who came off a year filled by heartbreaks.
Biado, 40, actually had to crawl back from the loser’s bracket to make it on top of the 96-player field after earning an opening round bye and then yielding to hometown bet Ching Feng Wang, 9-4.
He found his composure and rhythm with an 8-1 drubbing of Taiwanese Shun Yang Kao, then showed no mercy in crushing Singaporean Toh Lian Han, 8-1, and teammates Jefrey Roda, 8-2, to advance to the Round of 32.
The 2017 World Games gold medalist kept his momentum going in the knockout stage as he routed Vietnam’s Bui Truong An before blanking another hometown bet in Yun Cheng Lui, 10-0.
He briefly encountered some challenge from world No. 1 Francisco Sanchez Ruiz of Spain, but eventually claimed the 10-5 victory, before facing another stiff risistance from teammate Michael Feliciano before prevailing 10-8 to set up a semifinal clash with another hometown bet in Chang Yu Lung.
It was a tougher task this time against Chang, but the three-time Southeast Asian Games champion pulled off a hard-earned 11-9 triumph to set up a meeting with Regalario, who squeaked past Singaporean veteran Aloysius Yapp, 11-10, in the other semis pairing.
Against Regalario, though, Biado displayed his experience to dominate the match.
Regalario settled for the $5,000 (around P270,000) consolation purse.
Aside from Biado, Regalario and Feliciano, other Filipinos who saw action were Johann Chua, James Aranas, Anton Raga, Marvin Asis, Kyle Amoroto and AJ Manas.
