by Marlon Bernardino
MANILA---International snooker/billiards champion Marlon “Marvelous Captain” Manalo of the Philippines will showcase his talent in the cash-rich Qatar World Cup 10 Ball on December 5-14, 2024 at the Ezdan Palace Hotel in Doha, Qatar.

He will return to the world of pool after a long hiatus when he competes in this year's $450,000 total pot prize tournament where the winner gets the lion's share of $100,000

The affable cue artist and former chairman of Barangay Malamig in Mandaluyong City, who is also former League of Barangays of the Philippines Press Relation Officer and ABC president, captivated the billiard circuit by clustering victories against notorious pool sharks Yang Ching-shun of Taiwan and compatriots Efren "Bata" Reyes and Francisco "Django" Bustamante in the knockout stage of the World Pool Championship in 2004.

"I hope to do well in the upcoming this year's $450,000 total pot prize tournament of the money-rich Qatar World Cup 10 Ball in Doha, Qatar," said Jose Rizal University AB Economics graduate Manalo who has championed the US Pool Circuit many times. and runner-up to Reyes in the 2004 World 8-Ball Championship in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.

"I will pour all that I know in the cue sports," added Manalo who won a silver medal in the snooker event finishing 2nd behind eventual champion Bjorn Haneveer of Belgium in the 2001 Akita, Japan World Games.
The following year, 2000 Asian Snooker Champion and 2008 National Champion Manalo made it to the semifinals of both events before bowing out to eventual champion Wu Chia-ching (Wu Jia-qing).-Marlon Bernardino