Manalo wins National Pool championship

Manila, Philippines – Marlon Manalo defeated Antonio Gabica 11-5 to win the National Pool championship Sunday night in Quezon City.

Manalo, a snooker-pool veteran, racked up six straight victories to break a 5-5 score to clinch the championship against the Asian Games champion in the tournament backed by the Billiards and Snookers Congress of the Philippines.

Jeff de Luna placed third after he beat Elmer Kalaquian 9-3.

Also, Monette Oryan beat Floriza Andal 9-6 to win the women’s title.

Manalo, Gabica, de Luna and Kalaquian will represent the Philippines in the weeklong World Pool Association-World 10-ball Championship that will unfurl September 29 at the Philippine International Convention Center.

Meanwhile, Daryl Peach will not be defending his World 9-ball Pool Championship. Instead the Englishman will play in the World 10-ball tournament, a BSCP statement has stated.

Peach, who beat Roberto Gomez in the WPC finals last year, will lead a bumper crop of foreign players which include straight-ball champion Niels Feijen of the Netherlands, former WPC finalist Ralf Souquet of Germany and former world champion Johnny Archer of the US.