68TH ARAW NG DABAW SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

A comeback with pizzazz
By Marianne L. Saberon

HE'S back with a vengeance.

Gandy "Yang-Yang" Sapsal, who carries Valle as his surname in his pool exploits, made a strong comeback by copping the Singapore title of the four-leg San Miguel Beer Asian 9-Ball Tour recently.

The stunning victory came on the heels of his semi-finals finish in the prestigious Hope P1-Million All-Filipino Billiards Open.

"I'm happy to be back. Balik-bilyar ako 100 percent. Iba na pala ang buhay may pamilya, mas focus na ako ngayon kaysa dati na binata pa ako. Mas committed na ako sa bilyar kasi iniisip ko na ang kapakanan ng pamilya ko (I'm back to playing billiards 100 percent.

I've realized having my own family is so different than I was still single. I'm more focused and more committed now to the sport because I have my family to think of)," Yang-Yang told this writer in a long distance phone interview Monday. Yang-Yang, the third child in a brood of four of John and Carmen Sapsal, admitted he got into bad vices when he took a break after his gold medal stint in the 1999 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Brunei Darussalam.

This came after the celebrated gold victory he shared with Romeo "Snooky" Villanueva in the 9-ball doubles event of the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games. It was the one and only gold for the entire Team Philippines.

He said, "Nang umuwi ako sa Davao pagkatapos ng laro ko sa Brunei at Bangkok, naisip ko talagang magpahinga na muna. Ayun, nagkabisyo na rin out of curiosity.

Wala naman akong iniisip na responsibilidad noon kasi nga binata pa (I really thought of taking some rest when I went home to Davao after my stints in Brunei and Bangkok. I then tried vices out of curiosity since, being single, I had no responsibility to think about. But now I have to save my winnings for my family)."

His happy-go-lucky ways changed when he was enamored by Dabawenya Rosyl whom he eventually married in 2003. They are blessed with two-year-old son Ralph Lauren.

"Pag nananalo ako ngayon, kailangan nang magtabi para sa pamilya," he said.

"Sila talaga ang inspirasyon ko. Bumalik din ako dito sa Manila the same year nang ikinasal kami ni Rosyl kasi seryoso na talaga akong ipagpatuloy ang pagbibilyar (They are my inspiration. I came back to Manila the same year I got married because I was dead serious on pursuing my billiards career)," Yang-Yang said.

Yang-Yang, however, said he never really stopped playing billiard when he left the limelight. "Naglalaro pa man din ako kahit nawala ako sa national team. Visayas at Mindanao ang nagiing destinasyon ko dati (I was still active playing in tournaments held in the Visayas and Mindanao at the time)."

Asked how he sees himself in five years time, Yang-Yang was quick to reply: "A world pool champion? (laughs). Iyan talaga ang pangarap ko. Puwede na siguro akong huminto panandalian pag nag-champion na ako sa World Pool (That's my earnest dream. I can take a temporary leave after I become a world pool champion)."

The road to prominence, Yang-Yang enthused, was indeed difficult. The diminute cue artist was lured into the sport by his father sometime in 1986, he was only 12. This boy from Boulevard began to love billiards that he joined in every local tournament to test his mettle.

The big break, however, came later in 1993 when he emerged champion in the National Open held in Davao City. But it was only in 1998 that he at last gained a slot in the elite RP national billiards team. And what a feat to have won a gold medal in the Asian Games.