Photo from Matchroom Pool/Instagram
MANILA — Carlo Biado has made history for the Philippines as the first two-time World Pool Champion from the country. And now, he's achieved another feat: as the latest Filipino pool player to join the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame.
But for the 41-year-old Biado, it's still a surreal feeling joining the country's pool icons Efren "Bata" Reyes and Francisco "Django" Bustamante in an elite club.
Last August, Biado was elected into the sport's most prestigious club after garnering 91 percent (42 of 46 ballots) of the ballots from the United States Billiard Media Association Hall of Fame board.
"Sobrang saya kasi hindi ko in-eexpect na masasama ako sa Hall of Fame. 'Di ba 'yung Hall of Fame, para sa akin blessings 'yun kasi mahirap makuha 'yung ganung recognition. So nung nalaman ko 'yun, sabi ko sa sarili ko, talagang siguro blessed na blessed ako kaya nagkaroon ako ng ganun," Biado said in an interview with ABS-CBN News on Wednesday.
READ: Carlo Biado makes World Pool history, reclaims championship title
"Nung nalaman ko, sabi ko parang hindi ako ready. Kasi 'yung hall of fame, parang pakiramdam ko matandang-matanda na ako eh. Pero ganun talaga. I'm speechless talaga," the two-time World Pool Champion jokingly said.
The 41-year-old said he was overwhelmed to find out he garnered an overwhelming majority of the ballots.
Biado recently won the 2025 WPA World 9-Ball Championship in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where he dethroned reigning champion and World No. 1 Feder Gorst.
"Sobrang saya kasi 'yung pagiging hall of fame, binabase nila sa mga napanalunang event. Siguro ang dami kong world championship na napanalunan kaya siguro doon nila binase katulad nila tatay Efren, Django Bustamante at marami pang iba," he said.
Biado was elected to the Hall of Fame on his second year of eligibility. He joins Reyes, Bustamante, Jose Parica, Alex Pagulayan, and Dennis Orcollo in the elite club.
"Sobrang saya kasi napasama na ako sa kanila. Hindi ko talaga ine-expect. Hanggang ngayon hindi ako makapaniwala na mararating ko itong ganitong sitwasyon. So talagang, para sa akin talagang bigay sa akin ni Lord God 'yung blessings na ito," he said.
When asked what's his next goal after all his achievements, Biado said he just wants to keep playing for the country and his family.
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"Sa totoo lang, halos lahat ng pinangarap ko nakuha ko na. Ang sa akin lang, ipagpapatuloy ko 'yung paglalaro ko sa bilyar kasi mahal na mahal ko 'yung laro na ito at gustong gusto ko ito. Ang sa akin, manalo nang manalo at mabigyan ko ng better life 'yung family ko," he said.
Biado is in the country as part of Team Asia for the second edition of the Reyes Cup.
"Sobrang saya dahil unang una, dahil kila tatay Efren at Django Bustamante nagkaroon tayo ng ganitong event at nanumbalik itong bilyar sa atin. Napakaganda ng itong ganitong nangyayari para din ito sa kabataan na nahihilig din sa bilyar at nangangarap din maging katulad namin nila tatay Efren at ni Django," he said of the tournament held in Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.
He will then compete in the Philippine Open and head to Qatar for the World Cup 10-Ball 2025 before flying to the United States.
Biado will formally be inducted in a ceremony on November 22 in St. Augustine, Florida during the International Open.
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