FILIPINO CUE MASTERS BOWED OUT; IT’S AN-ALL EUROPEAN FINALS

YOUNG Russian Ruslan Chinakhov stopped the winning run of power-breaker Jeffrey “The Bull” de Luna, 10-5, Great Britain’s Karl Boyes overcame giant-killer Venancio “Tukao” Tanio, 10-5, and another Briton’s Darren Appleton edged snooker specialist Joven Alba, 10-8, late Friday to completely snuff out last Filipino hopes in the on-going Etisalat WPA World 8-Ball Pool Championship 2010 at the Fujairah Tennis Club in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.

The exits of the triumvirate ended the Filipino’s bid in the first World Championships this year, which was never seen in the prestigious event being held in the world’s oil-rich country with the champion getting the lion share of $17,000.

“There are many good Filipino pool players but only handful has the heart to be champions. The Talent we can develop the heart is inborn (Madaming magaling na Pinoy sa larong bilyar pero mabibilang mo lang sa daliri ang may puso para magkampeon,” said Bugsy Promotions president and Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP) head Ceferino “Perry” Mariano, who is scheduled to launch the country’s first month-long free billiards summer clinic and training workshop, which will start on May at the Bugsy Morato headquarters in Tomas Morato, Quezon City.

It shall be recalled that Hall of Famer Efren “Bata” Reyes, Marlon “Marvelous” Manalo, Francisc “Django” Bustamante and Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan took 1, 2, 3 and 4 position to completed Filipino domination in the inauguration of 2005.

Two years later (2007) Ronato “Volcano” Alcano and Dennis “Robocop” Orcullo finished 1-2 position. A year later (2008) German Ralf “Kaiser” Souquet dethroned Alcano for the coveted title. Last Year (2009), the organizing committee failed to stage the World 8-ball championships.

Meanwhile, it’s an-all European Finals.

After eliminating reigning World 8-ball champion Ralf “Kaiser” Souquet of Germany, 10-9, in the round-of-16, Niels “The Terminator” Feijen of the Netherlands defeated Andreas Roshkowski of Germany,10-6, in the round-of-8 and 2008 World Ten-Ball Champion Darren Appleton of Great Britain, 10-6, in the round-of-4 to arranged a titular showdown with Karl Boyes of Great Britain.

Boyes, who earlier beat Stephan Cohen of France, 10-6, trounced Venancio “Tukao” Tanio, 10-5, and Ruslan Chinakhov, 10-2, to progress.

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO.