AFTER taking a bye in the preliminary round, Filipinos Antonio “Ga-Ga” Gabica and Leonardo “Dodong Dadiangas” Andam hurdle their respective rivals to advance in the next round of men's 8-ball pool competition of 15th Asian Games late Thursday in Doha, Qatar.
The 34-year-old Gabica, the pride of Lapu-Lapu City nipped Gundsambuu Baatarchuluun (Mongolia), 9-1, in the round-of-32 while Andam demolished Hoang Lam Nguyen (Vietnam), 9-2.
Gabica, one of the rising stars from Bugsy promotion will face the winner of the match between Ricky Yang (Indonesia) vs Au Chi Wai (Hongkong) in the round-of-16 while Andam collide Ayhab Naseef (Iraq), winner over Hazari Shabbir (Syria), 9-3.
Sharing the limelight is Filipino-Malaysian Ibrahim Bin Amir who blasted Enk Amgalan Bayasgalan (Mongolia), 9-2, to slug it out 2005 World Pool Champion Wu Chia Ching (Taiwan) in the next round who beat Won Sik Ham (Korea), 9-7.
Kun Chang Huang (Taiwan) on the other hand, whacked Yukio Akagariyama (Japan), 9-3, to meet Fook Yuen Ooi (Malaysia) who clobbered Anh Tuan Nguyen (Vietnam), 9-6.
Rubilen “Bingkay” Amit still playing as off press time against Smagi Mairajan Chitra (India) in the distaff side as well the game of fellow Filipina cue Mary-Ann Basas and Amy Hoe Shu Wah (Singapore) in the round-of-32.
In the Men 3 cushion carom, Reynaldo Grandea faltered with Duong An Vu (Vietnam), 18-40, in the round-of-16.
Meanwhile, Gabica, the 2004 Fil-9 ball open winner also seeing in action in the men's 9-ball pool competition on Dec.9 along with stablemate young pool sensation Jeffrey “The Bull” De Luna.
Gabica takes on Raed Ahmed Ali Hummed (Brunei) while De Luna will meet Sayeem Hossain (Bangladesh). Amit takes on You Ram Cha (Korea) while Basas meet Vana Degermanji (Syria).
Four years ago, the Philippines won gold in the 9-ball doubles courtesy of Francisco "Django" Bustamante and Antonio "Nickoy" Lining in Busan, South Korea while the paired of Valle and Romeo "Snooky" Villanueva took the gold in the 9-ball doubles in 1998 Bangkok edition in Thailand.
