CEBU, Philippines - The gritty Rayner “Assunta” Espejo bagged the inaugural championship title at the conclusion of Borak Billiard Zone’s 1st 9-Ball Tournament the other night at the E-Zone (formerly Paseo) in Panagdait, barangay Kasambagan, this city.
It was a sweet victory for the 20-year-old Espejo as he fended off Wyben Montemayor in dominating fashion, 9-3, during the final match.
“I was not really expecting to win because I faced skillful players in this kind of sport and it was really a tough competition for me. I just felt so lucky because despite all these challenges, I was able to prove that I could surpass them all,” said Espejo, who placed fourth in the 2008 National Junior Open.
“Even if I’m still young, I was able to prove that in billiards that age is not a barrier to be victorious. It’s a matter of mind setting. Focusing on your main goal -- to win,” Espejo added.
Before earning their respective championship slots, Espejo routed Bryan
De la Cruz, 7-5 while Montemayor beat Roy Bana, 7-2, during the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, Bana secured the third place after thrashing de la Cruz with a 7-4 finish.
Aside from customized cue sticks, the top four winners also receive cash prizes, with Espejo pocketing P20,000 as the champion.
Montemayor got P10,000 being the second placer while Bana and de la Cruz raked in P5,000 and P2,000, respectively.
The fifth to eight each get P500, while the ninth to 16th placers earned a consolation prize of P300 apiece.
A special prize of P1,000 was given to reigning Sinulog 9-Ball Open Tournament champion, Ciriaco “Ratsky” Abellana for being the “Trick Shot King.” - THE FREEMAN