Limen To Play in Asia 10-Ball Championship

MANILA, PHILIPPINES---TWO MONTHS after taking the Davao billiards scene by storm, Jech Limen is now lined up for his second international tournament appearance at the 5th Annual Asia 10-Ball Championships to be held on November 10 to 14 at the Hamilton Hotel in Seoul, Korea.

The Pasig City based Limen, who hails from Davao City topped the 2008 Mati 9-Ball Open Tournament in Mati, Davao. Limen first made a name for himself after beating former double world champion (WPA 9-ball and WPA 8-ball) Chia-Ching Wu of Chinese-Taipei during the 2007 Negros Oriental International 9-Ball Championships. The win over Wu enabled him to finish in the top 12.

"I will do my very best," said Limen, also the 2004 Davao 9-Ball Open Champion and 2007 Winner Take-All third placer in Bowling Inn, Taft Avenue, Manila.

Sportsman/Businessman Jonathan Sy, president of the rising Negros Billiard Stable and co-founder of the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP) yesterday said that Limen received an invitation from Dragon Promotions, promoter of 5th Annual Asia 10-Ball Championships and obtained his visa last Thursday.

"While fate and destiny seems to be on our side the Korean Consul approved the visas of Jech (Limen)" said Sy, also the manager of former national champion Lee Vann "The Slayer" Corteza, Villar Cup Alabang leg champion Warren "Warrior" Kiamco, Japan based Ramil "Bebeng" Gallego and 2008 Dubai Champion Ricky "Bai" Zerna.

"We (NBS) hope Jech (Limen) will perform well in the Asia 10-Ball Championships," added Sy, also the organizer in the forthcoming Villiards: International Invitational 9-Ball Open on November 12 in Bacolod City.

According to Cindy Lee, president of Dragon Promotions, the 5th Annual Asia 10-Ball Championships offers $10,000 to the champion. The runner-up pockets $5,000 while 3rd and 4th received $2,500.Fifth to 8th placers received $1,250 each while 9th to 16th placers will bring home $600 each.

Top names in the field so far include Mika "The Iceman" Immonen of Finland, who is fresh from winning the 2008 US Open 9-Ball Championships, Thorsten "The Hitman" Hohmann of Germany, Raj Hundal of India, Lee Chenman of Hongkong and Young Hwa Jeong of the host country. The event will be broadcast on XTM and XPORTS, two of the top channels in South Korea.