MANALO, GABICA LEAD RP CHARGE IN RP TEN-BALL OPEN ON WEDNESDAY AT THE SM MEGAMALL

Monday, May 25, 2009, 7:09
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MANILA, PHILIPPINES—THE deadly duo of Marlon “Marvelous” Manalo and Antonio “Ga-Ga” Gabica will be joined by Jeffrey de Luna, Mario Tolentino, Jerico Banares, Elvis Calasang, and the country’s newest teenage sensation Jonas Magpantay to lead the Philippine charge at the start of the inaugural Philippine Open Pool Championship which starts on Wednesday, May 27 at the SM Megamall (Megatrade Hall 2) in Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila.

The winner taking away the whopping top prize money of US$20,000 (plus the slot in this year’s World Ten ball) while the second, third and fourth placers gets US$10,000, and US$ 5,000, respectively. Prizes will be awarded up to 32nd place according to the organizing committee Raya Sports headed by Yen Makabenta in close cooperation with the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) led by long-time billiards patron Sebastian “Baste” Chua, also the president of the famous Star Billiards Center.

” I hope to do well in this prestigious event. For flag and country,” Manalo told to this writer in an exlusive interview yesterday.

The 31-year-old Mandaluyong ace Manalo, who made prominence in the billiard circuit by beating compatriots Efren “Bata” Reyes and Francisco “Django” Bustamante and Taiwanese kingpin Yang Ching Shun in the 2004 World Pool Championship in Taiwan will show his strut in the event which features some of the world best that includes World Ten Ball champion Darren Appleton of Great Britain, WPA world No.1 player Ralf Souquet of Germany, two-time World Junior champion Ko Pin Yi of Chinese-Taipei, current US open champion and former world champion Mika Immonen of Finland, current US No. 1 Shane Van Boening and Billiards Congress of America (BCA) Open 9-Ball women’s champion Jasmin Ouschan of Austria.

Also includes Karen Corr and Julie Kelly of Ireland, Kelly Fisher of Great Britain, and Melissa Little and Sarah Rousey of the United States. Other Filipinos seeing action in the inaugural Philippine Open Pool Championship are Alan Cuartero, Arnel Bautista, Resty Labastida, Jestoni Magadia, Archie Padal and Oliver Villafuerte, among others.

Meanwhile, World Pool Billiard Association (WPA) president Ian Anderson will attend the said billiard event, it is jointly sanctioned by the WPA, the Asian Pocket Billiard Union (APBU) and BSCP.-

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO.