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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Carlo Biado captures historic second World Pool Championship title

Carlo Biado captures historic second World Pool Championship title

Published Jul 27, 2025 06:56 am  |  Updated Jul 27, 2025 01:20 pm

At A Glance

  • In a stunning display of grit and composure, Carlo Biado reclaimed his place atop the world of pool by dethroning Fedor Gorst, 15-13, to capture his second World Pool Championship title at the Green Halls in Jeddah on Saturday (early Sunday, Philippine time).
By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
In a stunning display of grit and composure, Carlo Biado reclaimed his place atop the world of pool by dethroning Fedor Gorst, 15-13, to capture his second World Pool Championship title at the Green Halls in Jeddah on Saturday (early Sunday, Philippine time).
Biado, 41, weathered a dramatic momentum shift, surviving a fierce comeback from Gorst -- who erased a 9-2 deficit and later pulled even at 13-all -- before the Filipino masterfully seized the final two racks to etch his name in history.
“I’m over the moon. I still can’t believe I’m a two-time World Champion. It means everything to me. I’m so proud to bring this trophy home to the Philippines,” Biado said in a post-match interview.
The victory not only marks Biado’s return to pool’s highest stage since his first world title in 2017, but also makes him the first Filipino to win the prestigious 9-ball crown twice. Along with the title, he pocketed a staggering $250,000 (approximately P14.2 million) from the $1 million prize pool.
Gorst, the 24-year-old former world champion now representing the United States, staged a relentless rally, capitalizing on Biado’s mid-match miscues to level the contest twice -- first at 9-all, then again at 13-all. But just as the match teetered on the edge of an upset, the Russian-American faltered.
In a pivotal moment during rack 27, Gorst scratched on a risky jump shot, handing Biado the opportunity to clear the table and inch ahead. A dry break from Gorst in the next rack proved fatal, as Biado calmly ran out the final rack to seal the victory -- and his legacy.
“This final is something I’ll remember forever. Fedor is one of the best in the world -- when I was leading 9-2, I still couldn’t relax because he’s a monster on the table. But today, I stayed focused, stayed calm, and maybe had a little luck on my side too,” said Biado.
Just hours before his dramatic win, Biado continued his dominant run by overwhelming 20-year-old compatriot Bernie Regalario, 11-3, in the semifinals. His road to the title included impressive victories over Chinese Taipei’s Ko Ping Chung (11-7) in the quarterfinals, fellow Filipino Jeffrey Ignacio (11-9) in the Round of 16, Poland’s Wiktor Zielinski (11-8) in the Round of 32, and England’s Chris Melling (11-9) in the Round of 64.
Biado was flawless in the group stage, defeating the Netherlands’ Jan Van Lierop (9-5) and fellow Filipino Lee Vann Corteza (9-4) to advance to the knockout rounds.
Eighteen Filipino players competed in the 128-player field, with 12 making it through to the knockout stage.
Other Filipinos who previously won the title are Efren “Bata” Reyes in 1999, Ronnie Alcano in 2006 and Francisco “Django” Bustamante in 2010.
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