Pool player Luong Duc Thien is hoisted by teammates after defeating Wu Kun Lin (Taiwan) 11-7 to win the 2026 Asian Pool Championship, on the evening of 15/7 at Ho Xuan Huong Arena, Ho Chi Minh City. *Screenshot*.

Luong Duc Thien, known by his nickname Thien Luong, secured the 2026 Asian Pool Championship by overcoming Taiwan's Wu Kun Lin with an 11-7 victory. The final match took place at Ho Xuan Huong Arena in Ho Chi Minh City, where Thien Luong enjoyed strong home crowd support.

The championship match, a race to 11 frames, saw a smooth start with both players calmly clearing the table to reach a 2-2 tie. Wu Kun Lin, a formidable opponent with a history of winning major international 9-ball pool titles, then managed to break out of some difficult setups by Thien Luong, taking a 4-2 lead. However, Thien Luong, demonstrating an all-around offensive and defensive style, calmly navigated his opponent's challenging positions. He won four consecutive frames to reverse the score and lead 6-4. Wu then capitalized on opportunities to tie the score again at 6-6.

Thien Luong leveraged his home advantage and capitalized on errors made by the Taiwanese player, gaining control in the latter half of the match. He built a 10-7 lead, just one frame away from victory. In the 18th frame, Thien Luong opted for a defensive shot but got lucky, breaking the setup and ultimately securing the championship with an 11-7 win.

Immediately after sinking the winning shot, Thien Luong was met by his teammates who rushed onto the playing area, lifting him high in celebration. The Taiwanese player, Wu Kun Lin, also approached to congratulate the new continental champion. Thien Luong later expressed his joy on his personal page, writing: "We did it, Vietnam! Mom and Dad. Thank you all, history will remember Thien Luong."

Pool player Luong Duc Thien thanks the audience after defeating Wu Kun Lin (Taiwan) 11-7 to win the 2026 Asian Pool Championship, on the evening of 15/7 at Ho Xuan Huong Arena, Ho Chi Minh City. *Screenshot*.

Born in 1993 in Bac Kan, Thien Luong is recognized as one of Vietnam's leading pool players, excelling in 9-ball, 10-ball, and heyball disciplines. He previously won the Joy Heyball senior Vietnam 2023 title and has represented Vietnam multiple times in international competitions organized by Matchroom and the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA).

Thien Luong's path to the Asian championship included overcoming other top players. In the quarterfinals, he defeated talented Filipino player Alexis Ferrer 10-7. He then delivered an exceptional performance in the semifinals, beating world 9-ball superstar Ko Ping Chung (Taiwan) 10-4.

This championship title earned the 33-year-old player a prize of 40,000 USD, equivalent to over one billion dong.

The 2026 Asian Pool Championship took place from 7-15/7/2026 at Ho Xuan Huong Arena in Ho Chi Minh City. The event brought together many of the continent's top players competing across four categories: men's 9-ball, men's 10-ball, women's 9-ball, and women's 10-ball. The total prize fund for the tournament was 107,200 USD, approximately 2.8 billion dong, with players also accumulating points for the WPA world rankings.

Duc Dong