Friday, July 16, 2004 6 Pinoys advance in World Pool championship By Marianne L. Saberon
AND then there were six.
ONLY six of the 11 Filipinos are still in contention in the 2004 Taiwan World Pool Championship following contrasting results in the Round of 64 knockout stage at the World Trade Center in Taipei.
Of the six, however, the Philippines is already assured of a last 16 round ticket as Francisco "Django" Bustamante collides with compatriot Marlon Manalo in their sudden death encounter in the last 32.
Bustamante demolished Dan Basavich, 9-2, while Manalo edged hometown bet Ching-Shun Yang of Chinese Taipei, 9-7, to keep their hopes alive for the $75,000 championship prize.
Lee Vann Corteza, the Asian 9-ball Tour Manila champion, bowed to German Thorsten Schober, 7-9, while Asian Games gold medalist Valle, a first-timer in the Word Pool, was subdued by Luc Salvas, 5-9.
Corteza, according to mother Yvonne, was dismayed that his match was set sometime at 1 a.m. Thursday when he was already at the playing venue since 5 p.m. Wednesday.
"Tumawag man si Van-Van sa akin, wala mang kaso ang matalo. Ang nakakainis lang eh nilagay ang laban niya sa huli at sa madaling araw pa, alas tres na nga natapos eh. Antay siya ng antay kelan iskedyul niya simula ng alas singko sa hapon pero ala una na pala siya makakalaro. Natural pagod na siya, sana hindi nalang pinilit ang laro nila, kinabukasan nalang sana para kundisyon parin siya (My son called me, it's alright to lose. We just didn't like the way his match was scheduled last and in such an unholy hour. It even ended at 3 a.m. He had been waiting for his schedule since 5 p.m. but he was able to play at 1 a.m. He was already tired, organizers should have not pushed through with the match and reset it the next day)," said Yvonne who placed a call to Sun.Star Davao Thursday.
Yvonne said her son even cited the running of the tournament in Cardiff, Wales was better than the way Taiwan organizers are conducting the ongoing competition.
She added: "Mas okay iyong sa Cardiff kasi ang mga laro sa hapon at sa gabi lang, eh sa Taiwan late na sa hapon at gabi lang, inuumaga pa. Kulang ata ang tables nila eh (It was better in Cardiff because they have afternoon and evening sessions while in Taiwan the matches start late in the afternoon until late evening and even lasts until dawn)."
But Yvonne said they will just have to accept Corteza's fate in his third attempt at the world's premier billiards spectacle.
He finished at the top 64 in his debut in 2002 then entered the top 32 last year.
Corteza is expected to be in Davao City to receive his male athlete of the year award during the 10th So Kim Cheng Sports awards night on July 22 at the Grand Regal Hotel.
Meanwhile, Efren "Bata" Reyes, Ramil Gallego, Rodolfo Luat and Dennis Orcollo also advanced to the next round.
Reyes defeated Alex Lely of Netherlands, 9-6; Gallego downed Ying-Chieh Chen of Chinese Taipei, 9-7; Luat nipped Steve Davis, 9-7; and Orcollo routed Danny Harriman of USA, 9-3.
Also suffering defeats in the Round of 64 were Antonio Lining, Antonio Gabica and Warren Kiamco.
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