Wednesday, April 23, 2008 RP cue artists advances in World Pool 8-Ball
CURRENT world No.1 and last year’s runnerup Dennis Orcollo, last year’s World Pool Championship runner-up Roberto Gomez and Middle East-based Filipino cue artist Alan Cuartero joined defending champion Ronnie Alcano, Warren Kiamco and Elvis Calasang in the round of 32 after posting huge victories from the one-loss-side marching in to the knockout stage of the 2008 World 8-Ball Championship late Monday at Fujairah City, UAE.
The three Filipino cue artists refused to go home early and bounced back from their defeats to stay alive in this eight day competition.
After his lost to Mark Gray of England (8-6), Orcollo quickly recovered from his loss with an 8-2 triumph over Matt Edwards of New Zealand gaining a slot for the next round.
On the other hand, Gomez, got back from his sorry second round defeat (8-3) to reigning World 10-Ball titlist Shane Van Boening by blanking Canadian Francis Crevier, 8-0, to likewise join fellow Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP) bets Alcano and Kiamco with Calasang in the knockout phase.
“The breaks went against me, that’s why I lost (against Gray). But after that, I told myself I don’t want to go home yet and blow this opportunity to become a world champion, so I poured it all,” said the 29-year-old Gomez, a stalwart of the star-studded Bugsy Promotions of businessman Perry Mariano.
Cuartero also made it to the Last 32 through the losers’ side. He lost his opening match against Malaysian Ibrahim bin Amir, 8-4, before scoring back-to-back wins over local bet Issa Al Boloshi, 8-1, and compatriot Jeff de Luna, 8-5.
From 10 entries, now down to six cue artists representing the Philippines vying for the title led by the defending champion Alcano, together with Orcollo, Gomez, Calasang, Kiamco and Cuartero. While those who were booted out and failed to advance from the competition were Joven Bustamante, de Luna, Antonio Gabica, and Israle Rota
Gabica failed to reach the next round after his two successive loses in the one-loss side against Ruslan Chinahov of Russia 8-5 and to the reigning World 9-Ball champion Darryl Peach of England, 8-5, after winning his opening match against Chirs Melling also of England.
While a disappointing losses happened to Bustamante, who was last year’s semifinalist, after losing his first two outings against top European players Marcus Chamat of Sweden (8-5) and Darren Appleton of England (8-2).
The Qatar base Rota, lost to Gray, 8-4, but won against Muhammed Al Hosani, 8-4, before bowing to former world champion Oliver Ortmann, 8-1.
The other marquee players in the Last 32 are former world champions Wu Chia-ching of Chinese-Taipei, Peach, Van Boening and Ralf Souquet, as well as world no.2 Niels Feijen of the Netherlands, Fu Jianbo of China, Chamat, and lone female entry Jasmin Ouschan of Austria. (NSM from PR)
