Culture - Sports

Belgian cueist wins Ho Chi Minh City World Cup 2026

Finishing as a runner-up, Thai had produced an impressive run to the final. In the quarter-finals, he defeated world No. 3 Dick Jaspers of the Netherlands – winner of 32 World Cup titles, the second-highest tally in history – by 50–46. He then edged past world No. 2 Eddy Merckx of Belgium by the same scoreline in the semi-finals to reach his first-ever World Cup final.

The award ceremony of the 2026 Ho Chi Minh City Ho Chi Minh City World Cup: Frédéric Caudron of Belgium claims the championship title, Chiem Hong Thai of Vietnam finishes runner-up, while Marco Zanetti of Italy and Eddy Merckx of Belgium share the third place. (Photo: VNA)
The award ceremony of the 2026 Ho Chi Minh City Ho Chi Minh City World Cup: Frédéric Caudron of Belgium claims the championship title, Chiem Hong Thai of Vietnam finishes runner-up, while Marco Zanetti of Italy and Eddy Merckx of Belgium share the third place. (Photo: VNA)

Ho Chi Minh City (VNA) – Belgian cueist Frédéric Caudron defeated his Vietnamese opponent Chiem Hong Thai 50–25 in 22 innings in the final of the 2026 Ho Chi Minh City World Cup Three-Cushion on May 24, securing his third World Cup title in Vietnam.

Finishing as a runner-up, Thai had produced an impressive run to the final. In the quarter-finals, he defeated world No. 3 Dick Jaspers of the Netherlands – winner of 32 World Cup titles, the second-highest tally in history – by 50–46. He then edged past world No. 2 Eddy Merckx of Belgium by the same scoreline in the semi-finals to reach his first-ever World Cup final.

Prior to the title match, Caudron had already claimed 21 World Cup crowns, including two previous victories in Vietnam.

The 2026 Ho Chi Minh City World Cup recorded the largest-ever Vietnamese participation in such event held on home soil. Thai’s runner-up finish, highlighted by a series of emotional victories over some of the world's leading players, left a memorable mark for Vietnamese billiards on the international stage.

The tournament was held from May 18 - 24 by the Ho Chi Minh City Billiards & Snooker Federation (HBSF) under the authority of the Union Mondiale de Billard (UMB). It brought together nearly 200 players from 18 countries and territories./.

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