Django is home, looks forward to Asiad

Francisco "Django" Bustamante came home to a grateful nation, and to a family deep in grief.

Bustamante arrived last night from Cardiff, Wales where he came within a heartbeat of winning the 2002 World Pool Championship.

Bustamante arrived shortly after 6 p.m.with Efren "Bata" Reyes after a long haul from Europe and was immediately brought to the Rizal Funeral Homes in Pasay City where the remains of his seven-month old daughter Mariel lay in state.

Upon his arrival, Bustamante was met by journalists, and later on expressed his readiness to represent the country and vie for the gold in the 14th Asian Games scheduled this September in Busan, South Korea.

"Kung talagang nandoon ang pangalan ko sa lineup, lalaro ako," said Bustamante, who’s also looking forward to meeting Strickland again, probably in a Las Vegas tournament scheduled next month. "Doon ko patutunayan na kaya ko siyang talunin."

Meanwhile, Philippine Olympic Committee president Celso Dayrit is hoping that Bustamante’s heroic stand in the World Championship could inspire the rest of the Filipino athletes seeing action in the Busan Games in September.

The POC president, now in Bangkok for the Asian Fencing Congress, also welcomed Bustamante’s inclusion to the national team following the latter’s runner-up finish to American Earl Strickland in the event that drew 128 pool players from 42 countries.

Bustamante made it to the finals despite the death of her baby daughter last Friday at the Olivarez General Hospital in Parañaque, and had planned to abandon the tournament so he could come home to join his family. But he failed to book an early flight to Manila, and he continued playing.

While Dayrit is confident that Bustamante would be fielded in the 9-ball event in Busan, he said it’s all up to Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines president Ernie Fajardo to decide whether the BSCP would stand by its its earlier decision to field Efren "Bata" Reyes in the 8-ball.

The BSCP’s plan to field Reyes, the 1999 world 9-ball champion, in an event he’s not so familiar with was met with criticisms since it would only reduce the country’s chances of winning more gold medals in the quadrennial event.

"I already talked to Mr. Fajardo last Sunday. He said that they will discuss the final assignment of events in consultation with their coach and the players, including Reyes," Dayrit told The STAR yesterday.

The BSCP had wanted to field Reyes in the 8-ball event along with Lee Van Corteza with Warren Kiamco and Antonio Lining competing in the 9-ball individual and doubles. Tapped to see in the snooker events are Marlon Manalo, James Al Ortega and Benjamin Guevarra.

But with Bustamante now in the team, the BSCP might just stick to its original plans.

"The objective is to sweep the three pool events and since 8-ball is not as easy as 9-ball, it is important to put our best man in that event. But this will all depend on what Reyes and the coach (Ramon Ancaja) will agree on," said Dayrit.

Aside from the 8-ball, Reyes will also be fielded in the three-cushion and 18-1 bank line events of English billiards where the Filipino ace has a very slim chance of winning.

"Mr. Fajardo also said that it was Reyes himself who suggested that others take 9-ball since any Filipino would have practically same good chance (with Bustamante in it). Anyway, the coaching staff will once again discuss this with the players," Dayrit said. — With reports from Rey Arquiza