SENATOR Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada has filed Senate Resolution No. 695 seeking to commend and congratulate James Aranas and Johann Chua for securing the country’s historic fourth World Cup of Pool title, the most for any country, in Lugo, Spain early this month.
“Their journey from being underdogs to unexpected champions, toppling high-ranking players and defending titleholders, and in the process, setting off the country’s resurgence and supremacy in the sport, can inspire the entire nation to overcome current adversities and challenges,” Estrada said.
Aranas and Chua not only ended the decade-long title drought in the annual international single-elimination tournament for doubles teams in nine-ball competition, but their record-breaking victory also reaffirmed the country’s standing as the best in the sport.
The Philippines is now the winningest country in the World Cup of Pool, breaking the tie with three-time winner China.
Aranas and Chua are the third Filipino pair to rule the World Cup of Pool, joining the legendary duo of Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes and Francisco ‘Django’ Bustamante who ruled the inaugural competition in 2006 and replicated their feat in 2009, and the tandem of Dennis Orcollo and Lee Vann Corteza who bagged the title in 2013.
Aranas and Chua, both 31 years old, entered the tournament unseeded and became the first unseeded team to ever capture the championship title.
The duo’s remarkable journey started in the early rounds as they knocked out Francisco Sanchez Ruiz and David Alcaide of Spain, the 2022 defending champions, in a 7-5 match on June 27.
The Philippine pair again prevailed versus another bet of the host country, Jose Alberto Delgado and Jonas Souto Comino, with a convincing win of 7-2 on June 30. They continued their winning streak in the quarterfinals, dominating the team from Chinese Taipei composed of Ko Pin Yi and Ko Ping Chung in a thrilling 9-8 match.
In the semifinals face-off, they stunned spectators as they outplayed Albin Ouschan and Mario He from Austria, two-time event titleholders.
The Aranas-Chua duo proved unstoppable at the finals when they took down Germans Joshua Filler and Moritz Neuhausen with an 11-7 victory.
“Aranas and Chua’s impressive achievement on the international sports stage, which brought immense honor and pride to the country, as well as their masterful display of technical skill, unparalleled teamwork, and fortitude against formidable opponents, are feats worthy of recognition from the Senate,” the veteran lawmaker said.
Pagkilala sa makasaysayang pagkapanalo ng 2023 World Cup of Pool title nila Johann Chua at James Aranas, inihain ni Jinggoy
INIHAIN ni Senador Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada ang Senate Resolution No. 695 upang kilalanin at bigyan pugay ang makasaysayang ika-apat na World Cup of Pool title ng bansa, ang pinakamaraming bilang ng pagkapanalo para sa alinmang bansa, sa Lugo, Spain sa unang bahagi ng buwang ito.
“Mula sa pagiging underdogs, nilampaso ng mga hindi inaasahang mga kampeon ang mga high-ranking players at defending titleholders. Ang kanilang pagkapanalo na muling nagpaangat sa atin sa larangan ng palakasan ay nagbibigay inspirasyon sa ating mga Pilipino upang malampasan ang mga kasalukuyang pagsubok at hamon sa buhay,” sabi ni Estrada.
Tinapos nila Aranas at Chua ang isang dekadang tagtuyot sa nasabing titulo sa taunang international single-elimination tournament para sa koponang doubles sa nine-ball competition. Ang kanilang record-breaking na tagumpay ay muling nagpatibay sa pagiging pinakamahusay ng bansa sa larong ito.
Ang Pilipinas na ngayon ang may pinakamaraming titulo sa World Cup of Pool at naungusan na nito ang bansang China sa pagkakatabla sa pagiging kampeon ng tatlong beses.
Sila Aranas at Chua ang ikatlong pares na Pinoy na naghari sa World Cup of Pool at kabilang na sa hanay ng legendary duo na sina Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes at Francisco ‘Django’ Bustamante na nagwagi sa paligsahan noong 2006 at naulit noong 2009, at maging ang tambalan nina Dennis Orcollo at Lee Vann Cortez na pinakahuling naging kampeon noong 2013.
Sa pagsisimula ng paligsahan, tinalo ng dalawang atletang Pinoy sina Francisco Sanchez Ruiz at David Alcaide ng Spain, na siyang nagwagi ng titulo noong 2022, sa isang labanang 7-5 noong Hunyo 27.
Ang koponang Pilipino ay muling nagtagumpay kontra sa pares na kumakatawan sa host country na sina Jose Alberto Delgado at Jonas Souto Comino, noong Hunyo 30. Nagpatuloy ang kanilang panalo sa quarterfinals, kung saan nilampasan nila ang koponan ng Chinese Taipei na binubuo nina Ko Pin Yi at Ko Ping Chung sa isang kapana-panabik na laban na may score na 9-8.
Sa semifinals faceoff, pinahanga nila ang mga manonood nang madaig nila si Albin Ouschan at Mario He ng Austria na dalawang beses ng naging kampeon sa nasabing paligsahan.
Hindi napigilan ang tambalang Aranas-Chua sa finals nang talunin nila sina Joshua Filler at Moritz Neuhausen ng Germany sa score na 11-7.
“Ang impresibong tagumpay nina Aranas at Chua sa pandaigdigang entablado ng palakasan, na nagdulot ng malaking karangalan at pagmamalaki sa bansa, pati na rin ang kanilang kahusayang ipinamalas sa teknikal na kakayahan, di-mabilang na pagtutulungan, at tapang laban sa matitinding kalaban, ay mga gawang karapat-dapat kilalanin ng Senado,” pahayag ng beteranong mambabatas.