KUALA LUMPUR – Carlo Biado isn’t taking full credit for his golden performance in the billiards competition of the 29th Southeast Asian Games.
He also owes his mentors – legendary cue artists Efren “Bata” Reyes and Francisco “Django” Bustamante – for teaching him the tricks of the trade.
A champion of the World Games in Poland in July, Biado continued his winning ways when he demolished Nguyen Anh Tuan of Vietnam in the men’s singles 9-balls event to collect his second gold medal in the biennial meet.
Prior to that, he demolished Muayporn Chotipong of Thailand in the preliminaries before running over Irsal Nasution of Indonesia in the quarterfinals.
And he has his coaches to thank for.
“Maganda na sina (national playing-coaches) Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes at Francisco ‘Django’ Bustamante ang mga naging coaches namin sa national team. Marami kami, ako na mga natutunan sa kanilang dalawa sa training,” said Biado.
“Marami silang alam na mga tira na tinuturo sa amin na malaking bagay at nagagamit namin sa mga labanan.”
But the battle is not yet done for Biado.
After this, he will fly to Ashgabat in Turkmenistan to compete in the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.
His coaches may no longer be there, but the lessons they taught him will still remain in his heart.
Meanwhile, Nestor Colonia, bothered by a knee injury, faded in the weightlifting competition of the 29th Southeast Asian Games at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Center here.
One of the country’s two weightlifters in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics last year, Colonia lifted a meager 113 kg in the snatch and 140 kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 254 kg to land fifth out of six entries.
Thach Kim Tuan, the Youth Olympics gold medalist and world record-holder in the 56 kg, lifted 120 kg in the snatch and 149 kg in clean and jerk for a total of 260 kg to retain the crown he won in the Myanmar SEA Games in 2013.
Surahmat Bin Suwoto Wuoy of Indonesia captured the bronze medal with 119 kg in snatch and 148 kg in clean and jerk for a total of 267 kg while Witoon Mingmoon of Thailand grabbed the bronze medal with 110 kg in snatch and 149 kg in clean and jerk for a total of 259 kg.