RP-Taiwan 9-ball challenge on at Galleria

The much-awaited showdown between Asia’s two strongest billiards nations — the Philippines and Taiwan — unfolds today at the Octagon Hall, Robinson’s Galleria in Mandaluyong City.

The three-day event, dubbed the "Philippines-Taiwan 9-Ball Challenge," will feature Marlon Manalo, Antonio Lining, Dennis Orcullo, Antonio Gabica and Gandy Valle of Team Solar Sports battling Taiwan’s powerhouse squad led by two-time world champion Fong Pang Chao, two-time Asian Games gold medalist Ching Shun Yang, Pei-Wei Chang, Che-Wei Fu and Po-Cheng Kuo, who arrived in Manila yesterday.

The event offers US$40,000 (P2.2 million) for the winners and US$20,000 (P1.1 million) for the losers. Solar Sports, which is holding the event, will air the games live daily from 2-9 p.m. on the Solar Sports network and from 6-9 p.m. on RPN.

The first day’s matches will feature Lining vs. Yang, Gabica vs. Kuo, Valle vs. Fu, Orcullo vs. Chang and Manalo vs. Chao.

"I look forward to this opportunity to get back at Chang,"said the fast-rising 25-year-old Orcullo yesterday.

Orcullo was tipped as one of the favorites in the world pool championships last month in Taiwan before he fell to Chang in the Round of 16. Chang eventually reached the finals of the world championship where he fell to Fil-Canadian Alex Pagulayan.

Manalo will have his hands full against the "Cold-Faced Assassin," Chao. But "Marvelous Marlon" has been on a hot roll of late and finished tied for fifth-eighth in the last world championships, following his spectacular victories over Yang, Francisco Bustamante and Efren Reyes.