Billiards

Trần Thanh Lực is one of eight Vietnamese players competing in the Ankara World Cup 3-Cushion 2026, the third stage of the World Cup series, in Turkey.

HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese athletes continue hunting the top billiard spot at the Ankara World Cup 3-Cushion 2026, the third stage of the World Cup series, in Turkey.

Based on their world ranking, Vietnamese cueists Trần Quyết Chiến and Trần Thanh Lực are among top 14 seeded players. They will automatically compete in the main round.

Six other Vietnamese players will have to come through the qualifying rounds. Nguyễn Hoàn Tất, Phạm Quốc Thuận and Nguyễn Đình Luân will begin in the second qualifier while Nguyễn Chí Long will enter in the third. Former world champion Bao Phương Vinh and HCM City World Cup runner-up Chiêm Hồng Thái will start from the final qualifying round.

They will join four-time World Cup winner  Chiến and Bogota World Cup champion Lực in the main draw if they finish among the top two players in their groups or secure one of the three best third-placed spots in the final qualifying round.

The qualifier will be organised on June 8-11. The main round is from June 12 and the final is scheduled on June 14 at the Golbasi International Billiards Complex.

This year’s tournament features strong rivals such as world No 1 Cho Myung-woo of South Korea, reigning world champion Frederic Caudron of Belgium, defending champion Eddy Merckx of Belgium, and world No 9 Dick Jaspers of the Netherlands, who won the World Cup second stage in HCM City earlier this month.

Last year, Chiến advanced to the gold-medal match but only earned a silver after losing to world No 3 Merckx. 

Vinh also took silver in this stage in 2024. He was defeated by Heo Jung-han of South Korea in the final. — VNS