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Johann Chua

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Johann Chua
Johann Chua at the 2023 Maldives 10-Ball Open Finals
Personal information
Birth nameJohann Gonzales Chua
NicknameBad Koi
Born (1992-05-31) May 31, 1992 (age 32)
Bacolod, Negros Occidental, Philippines
OccupationProfessional pool player
Medal record
Representing the  Philippines
Men's Nine-Ball
World Cup of Pool
Gold medal – first place 2023 Spain Doubles
Southeast Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 2021 Vietnam Singles
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Cambodia Doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Philippines Doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Malaysia Singles
Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Ashgabat Doubles
Men's Ten-Ball
Southeast Asian Games
Silver medal – second place 2021 Vietnam Singles

Johann Gonzales Chua is a Filipino professional pool player[1] from Manila. His nickname is "Bad Koi". Chua is a 2023 World Cup of Pool champion alongside James Aranas.[2] He is also a two-time All Japan Championship winner, winning the event in 2015 and 2017. In 2024, Chua was crowned the Mansion Sports Hanoi Open Pool Championship winner.[3]

Early life

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Born and raised in Bacolod in the central Philippines, Chua began playing pool at the age of nine.[4] He was often accompanied to the local pool hall by his father who gave him the nickname "Bubwit" or little mouse due to the fact that he was too little to be seen behind the pool table. Chua quit schooling at 13 to pursue his passion and began playing professionally at the age of 19.

Career

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In October 2011, Johann Chua was ninth at the BSCP National Open Pool Championships Overall. In December, he finished 17th at the Manny Pacquiao International Ten-ball championship held in General Santos. In November 2012 he achieved his first major international success with third place at the Japan Open. In 2013, he finished 17th at the China Open. He was third again at the Japan Open 2013.

In 2014, Chua managed to reach the top 16 in the China Open but would lose to the Taiwanese Chang Jung-Lin. At the 2014 WPA World Nine-ball Championship that took place a few days later, he reached the quarterfinal round of world championship for the first time; however, he was defeated by his countryman Elmer Haya. In September 2014 Chua was seventh place in the Manny Pacquiao Cup.

At the 2015 WPA World Ten-ball Championship, he reached the quarter-finals after defeating Ralf Souquet, Wang Can and Lee Van Corteza but unfortunately stopped by David Alcaide, 11–9 in the quarter-finals. At the 2015 WPA World Nine-ball Championship he lost to Yukio Akakariyama in the round of the last 64. In November 2015, Chua defeated Ralf Souquet, Lo Li-wen, Shane Van Boening, and fellow countryman Ronato Alcano 7–11 in the finals to clinch the All Japan Championship title, his first international title.[5]

In 2017, Chua settled for bronze medal at the Southeast Asian Games held in Malaysia after falling behind Duong Quoc Hoang of Vietnam in the semifinals.[6] In September of that year, Chua, with partner Warren Kiamco, brought home the bronze medal in the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.[7] Before that year ended, Chua snatched his second All Japan Championship title after defeating compatriot Jundel Mazon, 11–2.[8] He is currently ranked 13th by the World Pool-Billiard Association.[9]

In 2021, Chua won his first SEA games gold medal after beating compatriot Carlo Biado in the all-Filipino men's Nine-ball singles final, 9–6, at the Ha Dong District Sporting Hall in Hanoi Vietnam.[10]

“Sobra and kaba ko. First time ko lumaban sa finals dito sa SEA Games. Hindi ako maka-get over. Iba talaga pag flag and country” ("I was really nervous. It’s my first time to compete in the SEA Games finals. I can’t get over it. It’s really different playing for flag and country"), said Chua.[11]

In the same event, Carlo Biado defeated Chua 9–3 in the men’s Ten-ball singles event.[12]

In 2022, the trio of Johann Chua, Carlo Biado and Rubilen Amit emerged triumphant in the 2022 WPA World Teams Championship after sweeping Great Britain, 3–0, in the final in Klagenfurt, Austria.

Great Britain was composed of Kelly Fisher, Jayson Shaw, and Darren Appleton.

With the win, they gave the Philippines its first World Team Ten-ball title after runner-up finishes in 2010 and 2014, the last time the tournament was held before it was revived in 2022.

On the road to the finals, team Philippines conquered team Poland, 3–1, in the quarterfinals, then outlasted team Germany, 3–2, in a shootout battle.[13][14]

In 2023, Chua and James Aranas gave the Philippines a record fourth World Cup of Pool title after defeating Joshua Filler and Moritz Neuhausen of Germany, 11–7, in the final at the Pazo de Feiras e Congresos de Lugo in Spain. Chua and Aranas won a $60,000 (P3.32 million) purse.

Coming out of the tournament, the Filipino duo had a Cinderella run, defeating highly rated teams along the way. They knocked out reigning champion Spain A, 7–5 in the opening round, dominated Spain B, 7–2 in the second round, survived gruelling hill-hill matches, winning 9–8 consecutively against former world cup champions Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinals and Austria in the semifinals, and lastly, a triumphant 11–7 final against team Germany. The Philippines outstanding effort in the 2023 World Cup of Pool earned them another record by becoming the first nation to win the championship as an unseeded team.[15]

In 2024, Chua made his deepest run in the World Pool Championship, making it to the semifinals before losing 11–6 against Albania's Eklent Kaci. Chua took an early 6–2 lead before Kaci rallied back, recording nine consecutive racks in a row to overcome Chua and advance to the finals of the event.[16]

Also in 2024, Chua reached his first major matchroom final at the European Open Championship, but was defeated by Mickey Krause of Denmark by a score of 13–8 at Hotel Esperanto in Fulda, Germany.[17]

Chua's runner-up finish secures his spot as a second overall pick to represent team Asia in the inaugural Reyes Cup, which will be hosted in Manila, Philippines, from October 15 to 18, 2024.[18]

In October 13, 2024, Chua clinched his first major world nine-ball title after lifting off the Hanoi Open Pool Championship, overcoming Taiwanese Ko Pin Yi 13–7 at Hanoi Indoor Games Gymnasium, Vietnam.[19]

Chua caps off a remarkable year and journey by being a semifinalist at the World Pool Championship, a finalist at the European Open , and now the Hanoi Open crown. Chua's success at major tournaments has propelled him into the top ten world rankings, where he is presently ranked sixth.[20]

In October 18, 2024, team Asia ruled the inaugural Reyes Cup held at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila, Philippines. Johann Chua, Carlo Biado, Aloysius Yapp, Duong Quoc Hoang, and Ko Pin Yi make up the team, which is coached by the tournament namesake and greatest of all time Efren Reyes.[21]

They defeated the European team with a decisive 11–6 final score. Team Europe consists of Jayson Shaw, Eklent Kaci, Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, David Alcaide, and Mickey Krause. Aloysius Yapp of Singapore was named the first-ever Reyes Cup most valuable player award for his outstanding performance throughout the event.[22]

Titles

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References

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  1. ^ "Filipinos Chua, Centeno win big in Asian pool tournaments". Rappler. November 19, 2015.
  2. ^ "Chua, Aranas reign supreme in World Cup of Pool". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  3. ^ Pool, Matchroom (October 13, 2024). "MANSION SPORTS HANOI OPEN | JOHANN CHUA CROWNED KING OF HANOI". Matchroom Pool. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
  4. ^ "Chua hopes to strike gold". Manila Bulletin. May 24, 2017.
  5. ^ "KEEPING IT IN THE PHILIPPINES". The Cue View. November 24, 2015.
  6. ^ "SEA Games 2017: Philippines Medal Tally". Sports5. August 30, 2017.
  7. ^ Kiamco, Chua Pick Up Bronze in 9-Ball Doubles, Philippine Olympic Committee
  8. ^ "Chua cops 2017 All-Japan 10-ball Championship". The Manila Times. November 24, 2017.
  9. ^ Ranking - WPA Pool
  10. ^ Giongco, Mark (May 18, 2022). "SEA Games: Johann Chua tops Carlo Biado for 9-ball gold in all-Filipino final". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  11. ^ "Johann Chua tops Carlo Biado in all-Filipino showdown for 9-ball gold". RAPPLER. May 18, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  12. ^ Giongco, Mark (May 21, 2022). "SEA Games: Carlo Biado bags gold, Johann Chua silver in men's 10-ball". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  13. ^ "Team PH wins World Teams 10-ball title". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  14. ^ editor, delfin dioquino (September 11, 2022). "PH pool trio crushes Great Britain to rule Predator World Teams 10-Ball Championship". RAPPLER. Retrieved September 13, 2023. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  15. ^ "Johann Chua, James Aranas capture record 4th World Cup of Pool crown for PH". RAPPLER. July 2, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  16. ^ editor, delfin dioquino (June 9, 2024). "'I'm getting closer': Johann Chua holds head high after falling short of World Pool Championship". RAPPLER. Retrieved August 15, 2024. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  17. ^ Guardian, Daily (August 14, 2024). "Johann Chua ends the European Open 9-Ball Championship as a grand finalist". Daily Guardian. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  18. ^ Pool, Matchroom (August 13, 2024). "CHUA AND KRAUSE SECOND TO SECURE SPOTS FOR THE REYES CUP IN OCTOBER 15-18". Matchroom Pool. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
  19. ^ "Chua captures Hanoi Open crown for sought-after maiden major title in Vietnam". Absolute Pool. October 13, 2024. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
  20. ^ "World Rankings". Matchroom Pool. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
  21. ^ Pool, Matchroom (October 18, 2024). "TEAM ASIA CLAIM VICTORY AT THE INAUGURAL REYES CUP". Matchroom Pool. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
  22. ^ Villar, Joey. "Reyes Cup: Singapore's Yapp caps off Team Asia's mastery over Team Europe". Philstar.com. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
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