Thursday, October 02, 2008 Banares shines in upset-marred Day 3
FOR awhile, Filipino fans mourned the loss of one of their top bets, Antonio Gabica and the Taiwanese lady cue artist, who captured their hearts in just a short span of time competing in the WPA World Ten Ball Championship at the Philippine International Convention Center.
However, junior cue artist Jericho Banares provided a silver lining for the Philippines as he became the country’s fifth qualifier in the Round of 64 following his tense 9-7 triumph over former world 9-Ball champion Thorsten Hohmann last Wednesday.
Banares, the reigning national junior champion, reasserted his mastery over the same guy he defeated in the Mandaluyong Philippine Pool Tour last summer as the 18-year-old pride of Antipolo City join compatriots Marlon Manalo, Victor Arpilleda,
Demosthenes Pulpul and Leonardo Didal in the next round.
The most heartbreaking setback for the Filipinos came when Gabica fell short in his match over Denmark’s Martin Larsen, 7-9. Trailing most of the way, Gabica, the first Filipino to qualify in the main draw of the WTBC, became one of the early standouts to be booted out. Gabica showed signs of hope when he came back from 0-6 deficit to even the field, 6-6, but eventually lost.
WPA
Meanwhile, lady player, Lin Yuan Chun, the Women’s World 9-Ball champion, is the third seeded player other than Gabica and Hohmann to bow out of the tournament, sanctioned and supervised by the World Pool Association and organized by Raya Sports.
Lin, who is also a Doha Asian Games 8-Ball gold medal winner, took a severe beating from Corey Deuel of the US, 9-0, to trounce the Taiwanese looker.
Lin’s compatriot, Liu Shin Mei, another lady participant, hurdled past Sit Shun Ching of Hong Kong, 9-5.
Liu, the Doha Asian Games 9-ball gold medalist, will be the first female qualifier in the Last 64 with reigning World 9-Ball champion Daryl Peach of Great Britain, who advanced following his 9-3 triumph over Japanese rival Kazuo Furuta Chinese Taipei’s big guns—double world champion Wu Chia-Ching and reigning world junior titlist Ko Pin Yi–also advanced to the round of 64. (PR)
