Peach breaks Filipino hearts again

SUPERMAN almost did it, but Daryl Peach, the "Dazzler" from Blackpool, England, found the Kryptonite he needed to down Filipino Roberto Gomez, 17-15, and win the 2007 World Pool Championship. Gomez, known internationally as Superman, had already made history as the first qualifier (non-seeded player) to make it all the way to the finals of the World Pool Championship. After coming from behind to level the match at 12 racks apiece, Gomez was flying high and seemed poised to win the championship as he took the next three racks to lead, 15-12. Peach, however, who has also made history as the first Englishman to ever reach the finals of the World Pool Championship, refused to wilt and made his own comeback, with the predominantly pro-Filipino crowd at the Araneta Coliseum showing their appreciation for his great escapes from Gomez's safeties and grace under pressure. The turning point was the nightmare 31st rack, which might forever haunt Gomez. After Peach had leveled the match, 15-15, Gomez looked set to win Rack 31 after getting an opportunity to return to the table when the 2 ball refused to sink in the corner pocket after Peach banked it. Gomez, however, missed a simple shot while trying to sink the 5 ball. Peach pocketed the balls but then ended up dead straight on the 8. Peach sank the 8 but now found himself in a horrible position for the 9. He had no choice but to bank, and he went for it. In doing so, however, he handed what looked like a "gimme shot" to Gomez. Unbelievably, Superman missed his second easy shot in Rack 31, and Peach calmly sank the 9 to go on the hill, 16-15. Gomez had a golden opportunity to make it the second straight year that a Filipino won the World Pool Championship, after Ronnie Alcano defeated Germany's Ralf Souquet in the finals last year. Somewhat fittingly, it was Peach who had dethroned Alcano at the start of the knockout stage of the World Pool Championship. He again broke the hearts of Filipino fans when he eliminated Francisco “Django” Bustamante in the quarterfinals.