FILE – Carlo Biado during the men’s 9-ball billiards final in the 31st SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam. SEA GAMES POOL
MANILA, Philippines-Carlo Biado and Johann Chua assured themselves of going home with a medal in the 32nd Cambodia Southeast Asian Games after advancing to the semifinals of the men’s 9-ball doubles on Friday.
Out to atone for their early exits as singles competitors, Biado and Chua defeated the Vietnamese pair of Anh Tuan Nguyen and Duc Thien Luong, 9-2, at Aeon 2 Sen Sok in Phnom Penh to secure at least a bronze in this year’s biennial meet.
The Filipino duo will take on Myanmar’s Phone Myint Kyaw and Thaw Zin Htet in the semifinals for a chance to keep the country’s best chance of winning a gold in billiards.
Both Biado and Chua are out for redemption after losing their round-of-16 matches in men’s 9-ball singles.
Chua’s bid for a repeat was denied by Phone Myint Kyaw while Biado, who lost to the former in last year’s all-Filipino final in Hanoi, Vietnam, fell to Indonesia’s Feri Satriyadi.
They’ll hope to keep the Philippines’ streak of winning at least one gold since the sport was first introduced in the 1987 edition held in Jakarta.
Veteran Francisco dela Cruz currently has the country’s lone medal in billiards with a bronze in the men’s 3-carom event.
Biado and Chua are also looking at improving on the bronze medal finish in the 2019 Games in Manila, the last time the men’s 9-ball doubles event was held.
Myanmar won that year’s event with Phone Myint Kyaw teaming up with Aung Moe Thu.