Veteran campaigner Marlon Manalo has all the opportunities to be the world’s best.
But for now, he is determined to follow in the foot-steps of Filipino World Champions like Efren "Bata" Reyes (WPA World 9-ball and 8-ball champion), Ronato "Volcano" Alcano (WPA World 9-ball and 8-ball champion), Francisco "Django" Bustamante (WPA World 9-ball champion), Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan (WPA World 9-ball champion), Dennis "Robocop" Orcollo (WPA World 8-ball champion) and Rubilen "Bingkay" Amit (WPA Women's World 10-ball champion).
Manalo will make his return to the pool world after a long hiatus when he competes in this year’s World 9-Ball Championship beginning September 2 in Doha, Qatar.
"The World 9-ball tournament in Qatar will be a good test for me, that's why I prepared well for it," said Manalo, who is also known in pool circuit as "The Marvelous Captain."
“I still believe I can become a world champion,” added Manalo, a many-time winner in the US Pool Circuit and runner-up to Reyes in 2004 World 8-Ball Championship.
"If we're lucky enough in the World Pool Championship in United Arab Emirates and Kaoshiung, Taiwan, I'll win at least one title for us," added the Jose Rizal University (JRU) AB Economics graduate.
The affable cue artist and chairman of Barangay Malamig in Mandaluyong City captivated the billiard circuit by clustering victories against noted pool sharks Ching-shun Yang of Taiwan and countrymen Efren “Bata” Reyes and Francisco “Django” Bustamante in the knockout stage of the World Pool Championship in 2004.
The following year, the 2000 Asian Snooker Champion and 2008 National Champion Manalo went all the way to the semifinals of the same event before bowing to eventual champion Chia-ching Wu (Jia-Qing Wu).
Although he’s been away from big competition the past few years, Manalo kept himself in shape by practicing daily in his own pool hall in Talumpung, Mandaluyong and the famous Star Billiards Center in Grace Village, Quezon City, hosted by long-time sports patron Sebastian "Baste" Chua.
He is set to fly to Doha, Qatar on Saturday.
At this point, the Brgy. Malamig chairman from Mandaluyong City's quest for honor and glory received a needed shot in the arm from his long-time benefactors Mayor Benhur Abalos Jr., Rep. Neptali "Boyet" Gonzales II and Solar Sports head Ronald Tieng.
The 2013 World 9-Ball Championship is sponsored by Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) and co-sponsors Simonis (cloth), organized by Qatar Billiards & Snooker Federation (QBSF) and sanctioned by World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) and Asian Pocket Billiard Union (APBU).
