Vietnamese billiards veteran Ly The Vinh, 63, has earned a place in the 2025 3-Cushion Carom Billiards World Cup, becoming one of the first eight players to qualify from the opening round in Ho Chi Minh City.

The final session of the first qualifying round took place on Wednesday afternoon, featuring intense competition and dramatic finishes.

Vinh delivered an impressive 30-26 victory over Dinh The Vinh in Group G, securing his spot in the next stage after 26 shots.

A legendary figure in Vietnamese billiards, he won Vietnam’s first 3-cushion carom gold at the 1997 Southeast Asian Games, followed by another gold in 2003, a bronze at the 2010 Asian Games, and four national championships.

One of the afternoon’s most thrilling matches saw Nguyen Thanh Tung edge Cao Phan Triet Luan 30-29 in Group D.

Tung trailed 26-29 before capitalizing on Luan’s missed shot, scoring four consecutive points to claim victory.

In Group F, Nguyen Dinh Quoc defeated Long Hong 30-29 after 22 shots.

Hong, who led 26-14, tied the game 29-29 but missed a final opportunity, allowing Quoc to clinch a World Cup spot.

Nguyen Thai Khuong, a relative newcomer to professional 3-cushion carom, secured a surprise 30-28 victory over World Cup runner-up Tran Chi Thanh in Group E.

Other results included Tran Quang Hung’s 30-22 win over Nguyen Nhu Le in Group H, Tran Manh Hung’s dominant 30-9 performance against Vo Ngoc Lam in Group C, Doan Minh Kiet’s 30-17 victory over Nguyen Thanh Thuc in Group B, and Ngo Le Duy’s 30-26 win over Nguyen Van Lam in Group A.

These results determined the first eight Vietnamese qualifiers for the 2025 World Cup in Ho Chi Minh City, scheduled for May 19-25.

The final eight spots will be decided in the second qualifying round, set for April 7-11.

The Ho Chi Minh City Billiards & Snooker Federation is fully sponsoring the qualifiers, covering the 100-euro ($108) participation fee for each player.

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