SEAG: 4 GOLDS SASARGUHIN NG PH BILLIARDS TEAM

TARGET ng Filipino cue artists ang apat na gintong medalya sa kanilang pagsabak sa 30th Southeast Asian Games sa Dis. 3-10 sa Manila Hotel Tent City.

Ayon kay Billiards and Snookers Congress of the Philippines secretary general Robert Mananquil, mataas ang morale ng kanyang mga atleta at nakahandang higitan ang dalawang gold, isang silver at dalawang bronze medals na kanilang napanalunan sa 2017 SEA Games sa Kuala Lumpur.

Ani Mananquil, malalim ang kanilang bench of pool talents, sa ­pangunguna nina world no. 3 Rubilen Amit, world No. 4 Carlo Biado, Dennis Orcollo, Johann Chua, Jeffrey Ignacio, Warren Kiamco, Chezka Centeno, Iris Rañola at Floriza Andal.

Aniya, sa lineup na ito ay madali nilang makukuha ang apat na gold medals sa men at women’s 9-ball competition at men at women’s 10-ball event.

“That’s four gold medals already,” wika ni Mananquil, na board member din ng Philippine Olympic Committee (POC).

“We still have 9-ball and 10-ball doubles where we also have fighting chances. Of course, I can’t promise that we would also win the gold there, but if luck rolls our way, we might sweep all pool events and win six out of the 10 gold medals at stake.”

Sasabak sa snookers sina Alvin Barbero, Michael Angelo Mengorio, Jeffrey Roda at Basil Al-Shajjar, habang sina Benjie Guevarra at Luis Saberdo ang kakatawan sa English Billiards.

Lalahok din si pool great Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes, kasama si Francisco Dela Cruz sa carom habang magsisilbing head coach ng national squad, kasama ang isa pang alamat sa katauhan ni Francisco ‘Django’ Bustamante bilang chef deputy.

Ikinatuwa ni Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William Ramirez ang kaganapan, at sinabing: “It’s difficult to predict outcomes, but with proper scouting, sports associations could somehow see their targets well.”

“The PSC is also supportive of billiards as it is with all sports,” dagdag ni Ramirez.