Carlo Biado is off to a dramatic start in his World Games title defense, taking down Poland’s Wiktor Zielinski, 11-10, in the Round of 16 of Men’s Pool, Thursday morning (Philippine time) at the Sheraton Hotel Ballroom in Birmingham, Alabama in the United States.
Biado is the first-ever gold medalist for the Philippines in the quadrennial meet when he won in the same event, five years ago in Wroclaw, Poland.
The reigning champion raised to a 5-3 advantage before Zielinski put the score pressure after getting to as close as one, 8-9.
Biado went to the hill at the next rack at 10-8, but the Polish upstart had other plans and took the next two racks. Eventually, the Filipino came out with timely shots to close out the match in his favor.
The 38-year-old veteran will take on a familiar name in the quarterfinal.
Biado will battle Albin Ouschan of Austria for a place in the semifinal on July 16 at 12:30 a.m. (Philippine time).
