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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Biado, Chua banner early winners at World Pool Championship

Biado, Chua banner early winners at World Pool Championship

Published Jul 23, 2025 12:48 pm  |  Updated Jul 23, 2025 10:58 pm

At A Glance

  • Former champion Carlo Biado and Johann Chua opened their respective title campaigns on a high note as 14 others stayed in contention after the first round of the 2025 World Pool Championships at the Greens Hall in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, July 22.
Johann Chua makes his title campaign felt at the start of the World Pool Championship. (Screengrab from Matchroom Pool)
Johann Chua makes his title campaign felt at the start of the World Pool Championship. (Screengrab from Matchroom Pool)
Former champion Carlo Biado and Johann Chua opened their respective title campaigns on a high note as 14 others stayed in contention after the first round of the 2025 World Pool Championships at the Greens Hall in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, July 22.
Biado, the last Filipino to win the title in 2017, downed Jan Van Lierop of the Netherlands, 9-5, while Chua, who finished in the semifinals last year, blanked local bet Mohammed Al-Balkhi, 9-0.
Also advancing to the next round were Roland Garcia, who clobbered Dutchman Niels Feijen, 9-4; Marvin Asis, who survived Spaniard veteran David Alcaide, 9-8; Michael Feliciano, who toppled Poland’s Konrad Juszczyszyn, 9-3; Bernie Regalario, who routed Kuwait’s Abdullah Alenzi, 9-2; and Patrick Gonzales, who drubbed Roman Hybler of Czechia, 9-3.
James Aranas, who won the 2023 World Cup of Pool with Chua, thumped Egypt’s Wesam Hamamm, 9-4; multiple Southeast Asian Games champion Lee Vann Corteza edged hometown bet Al Waleed Al-Mudayan, 9-7; Michael Baoanan dismantled Serbia’s Aleks Pecelj, 9-5; Jeffrey Ignacio bested Australia’s James Georgiadis, 9-6; and AJ Manas defeated Fellow Filipino Alexis Ferrer, 9-6.
Ferrer, however, bounced back after beating Vietnam’s Phuong Nam Phan, 9-6, in the losers’ bracket even as Mark Kalagayan, who earlier lost to Chinese Taipei’s Chang Yu Lung, stayed alive with a 9-7 victory over local Abdulaziz Al-Amoudi, 9-7.
Marlon Cañeda and Rogelio Sotero, meanwhile, were the earlier casualties for the strong PH contingent after absorbing their second straight losses to Americans Sam Henderson (9-7) and Shane Van Boening (9-5), respectively.
Jefrey Roda and Anton Raga delivered the early wins for the Filipinos in the tournament that offers a record-breaking total prize fund of US$1 million (around P56.9 million).
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