Carlo Biado makes history as the first Filipino to win multiple World Pool Championship titles

Filipino pool superstar Carlo Biado has established himself as one of the best pool players in the world, and on Saturday, July 26 (Philippine Standard Time), he made history for the Philippines and etched his name into the record books.

Biado achieved the historic feat by defeating Fedor Gorst of the United States, 15–13, in the finals to win the World Pool Championship at the Green Halls in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia—becoming the first Filipino player to win multiple World Championship titles.

The 41-year-old dethroned the defending champion Gorst in a pulsating match to give the Philippines its fifth title in the prestigious tournament, which has been running since 1990. Efren “Bata” Reyes (1999), Ronnie Alcano (2006), and Francisco “Django” Bustamante (2010) are among the other Filipinos to have won the title.

“It means a lot. I’m happy. My opponent is a monster. He is tough to beat,” Biado said after winning the championship for the second time.

It’s also worth noting that seven out of the 18 Filipino players who competed in the tournament reached the last 16, including Bernie Regalario, James Aranas, Jefrey Roda, Anton Raga, Jeffrey Ignacio, and Patric Gonzales—with Regalario advancing to the semifinals before losing to Biado.

Carlo Biado brings the #WorldPoolChampionship home to the Philippines 🇵🇭🏆 pic.twitter.com/L9qdH3BmuG

— Matchroom Pool (@MatchroomPool) July 26, 2025

Biado, meanwhile, took home a staggering $250,000 (approximately ₱14.2 million) in prize money. Despite the historic victory, he chose not to celebrate, confirming in a social media post that he is now headed to the United States to compete in the Florida Open and the US Open.

“No time for celebration. My celebration with my family is my biggest trophy in life. No more long message. It’s time to rest a bit for the Florida Open and US Open,” Biado wrote in his post.

The inaugural Florida Open is scheduled to take place at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida, from August 5 to 10, while the US Open runs from August 18 to 23 at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

After these two events, Biado is expected to headline Team Asia at the Reyes Cup in the Philippines. This will be the second edition of the tournament named after the legendary Efren “Bata” Reyes, scheduled to take place at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila from October 16 to 19.

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