Hanoi—Johann Chua pounced on two stunning miscues by reigning US Open champion Carlo Biado en route to a 9-6 victory and crowned himself the new 9-ball billiards champion Wednesday in the 31st Southeast Asian Games here.
The 9-ball gold was the second for Pinoy cue artists here, with Rubilen Amit winning the women’s side of the event last Tuesday, beating Jessica Chan of Singapore 7-2, for her ninth gold medal in the biennial event.
Biado was favored to rule the all-Filipino finals but uncharacteristically missed easy shots in the 12th and 15th racks, to the horror of the big crowd at the Ha Dong District Sporting Hall.
Trailing 5-6 in the 12th, Biado, 39, failed to pocket the 9-ball, smiling after his miscue. He also failed to sink the 8-ball three racks later, with Chua gamely taking over both times to win his first SEA Games gold.
Biado, who failed in his bid to reclaim the title he won in the 2017 Games, raised the hand of Chua after the match, gamely accepting his defeat for the silver medal.
“Sobra and kaba ko. First time ko lumaban sa finals dito sa SEA Games. Hindi ako maka-get over. Iba talaga pag flag and country,” said Chua, 29, who fell on his knees after the winning shot and gave Biado, his roommate here, a big bear hug. He then waved to the crowd.
“Nu’ng sumablay si Carlo, sabi ko sa sarili ko, akin na ito. Sobra ang nginig ng kamay ko. Pero gustong-gusto ko makuha ‘yung gold. The best ka, God,” said the new SEA Games champion.
“Nag-bibiruan nga kami kagabi sa kwarto ni Carlo, sabi ko babalian na kita at pag humilik ka gigilitan na kita sa leeg. Sobra close kami niyan. Masaya na kasi kami kasi sure gold nga para sa Pilipinas,” he said.
Biado seemed to have the 15th rack all wrapped up until he missed a shot on the 9-ball that any other player of his caliber could sink a million times.
“Sumablay talaga. Pero parang alam ko na si Johann ang mananalo kasi bago pa mag-SEA Games napaginipan ko na siya ang nag-champion,” said Biado, who won a 9-ball men’s bronze medal in tandem with Chua in the 2019 games in Manila.
Biado had earlier entertained the crowd with some world-class pool, hitting a magical shot on the 7-ball, a jump from across the table, in the 12th race. Then he missed what looked like an easy shot on No. 8, drawing an agonizing response from the crowd.
The billiards team headed by team manager Roy Malinao and head coach Django Bustamante was ecstatic with the 1-2 finish and are counting on medals in the men’s and women’s 10-ball.
Efren “Bata” Reyes absorbed a 100-55 defeat to Vietnam’s Tran Thanh Tan Nguyen and salvaged a bronze medal in men’s 1-cushion carom.
Jefrey Roda bagged the silver in men’s snooker 6-red singles Tuesday night after losing to Keen Hoo Moh of Malaysia in the final match.
Francisco dela Cruz bowed to Quoc Tuan Pham of Vietnam in the semis of the same event 100-20 and will go home with a bronze medal.
“May chances pa tayo sa 10-ball men’s and women’s,” said Malinao, not ruling out another Chua-Biado finale in the event.