Unknown Japanese denies Pinoy cue artists a sure gold

DOHA — Satoshi Kawabata is not one whose name would scare the Filipino pool players the way the likes of Ralf Souquet, Rodney Morris, Chao Fong-pang, Earl Strickland or Wu Chia Ching would. In fact, billiards is not even popular in Japan that playing against Kawabata would be like just a workout for a veteran Filipino cue artist.

But Kawabata, 36, turned the tables around on the RP bets in the Asian Games here, foiling the projected all-Pinoy duel for the 8-ball men’s singles crown and spoiling the Philippines’ bid for a first gold medal at the Al-Sadd Multi Purpose Hall late Saturday.

"I’m so excited, it’s difficult to find the words," said Kawabata, who pounced on Antonio Gabica’s costly miscue in the 13th rack in the final and went on to claim the crown many had thought was in the bag for the Filipino.

But fate frowned on Gabica, who had looked forward to giving the Philippines its first gold medal after a seemingly endless quest for glory after he surged ahead at 7-5 and on the verge of winning the next with only the 8-ball to sink on the corner pocket.

He missed and missed the chance to emerge a hero for a country desperately searching for one.

"He missed the 8-ball at 7-5. Had he hit it stronger, he would have won but he made a soft shot so that’s why he missed. I got to 7-6 and it was a big point in the game," said Kawabata.

Taking the cue, the Japanese, a bronze medalist in the 8-ball doubles in the 1998 Bangkok Asiad, racked up the next three racks to snatch the gold as Gabica cracked altogether.

It was Kawabata’s biggest victory in a long pool career marked by several top 8 finishes in the 2002 Busan Asiad, the World 8-ball, the World 9-ball and Asian SMB 9-ball Tour. And he hopes it will sort of spark the Japanese enthusiasm and interest in the sport.

"Billiards is not popular in Japan compared to the Philippines, so winning this gold medal will help increase its popularity," said Kawabata, who knocked out the other Filipino hopeful, Leonardo Andam, 9-6, in the semis to arrange a title clash with Gabica.

What he did to Gabica, Kawabata also inflicted on Andam as the Japanese won four racks on the trot to rally from 5-7 to 9-7.

Things, hopefully, won’t be the same in the 9-ball men’s singles, where Gabica and Jeffrey de Luna are two of the favorites to contend for the gold medal.

Unless, of course, Kawabata comes along to spoil the fun again. Dante Navarro