BUSTAMANTE, MANALO ADVANCE TO LAST 32 OF DOHA WORLD POOL

FRANCISCO”Django” Bustamante, former World No.1, made easy work of Oliver “The Machine” Ortmann of Germany, 11-2, while  Marlon “Marvelous” Manalo defeated Lu Hui Chan of Chinese-Taipei, 11-8, yesterday, to advance to the round-of-32  of 2010 World Pool Championships (World 9-Ball) at the Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation hall in Doha, Qatar.

The Tarlac City native Bustamante, top player of Puyat Sports, jumped to a big 7-1 to 10-1 lead and was never threatened by the  ex-World 9-ball ruler Ortmann.
” Maganda talaga ang nilaro natin ngayon at sana magpatuloy pa ito,” said Bustamante, who topped the 23rd Japan 9-Ball Open in Tokyo and Super Billiards Leaque 9-ball in Winnipeg, Canada.

The Barangay Talumpong Mandaluyong City pride Manalo, on the other hand broke the 8-all deadlock in the 16th racks after clustering three straight racks in the race-to-11, alternate break format of this $250,000 total pot prize World Pool-Billiards Association (WPA) sanctioned tournament which offers $36,000 to the champion.

” Buti na lamang naging matatag tayo sa bandang huli,” said Manalo, who is the top contender  of Barangay Talumpong chairman post in Mandaluyong City.

Other Filipino pool wizards who made it to the round-of-32  and already assured at least $2,500 are Jeffrey de Luna who trounced Chang Jung-lin of Chinese-Taipei, 11-9, Francisco Felisilda who brought downed Bashar Hussain of Qatar, 11-7, and Raymund Faraon who subdued Artem Koshovoj of Ukraine, 11-8.
Middle East pool instructor Joven Alba, meantime yielded to Shane Van Boening of the United States, 7-11, to bowed out in this prestigious event.

2008 WPA World Junior titlist Ko Pin-yi of Chinese-Taipei also advance to the next round after beating Ernesto Dominguez of Mexico, 11-3, as well Scott Higgins of the Great Britain who eliminated Charlie Williams of the United States, 11-9.

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO.