NDO/VNA - Vietnam’s top cueist Tran Quyet Chien was the runner-up of the recently concluded 3-cushion Carom Billiards World Cup in Turkey, after winning over leading players of the world.

Chien, world No.4, was the sole Vietnamese qualified for the main competition event.

He earned three impressive victories in the group stage and won a berth at the Round of 8, where he defeated world No.12 Heo Jung-han of the Republic of Korea 50-32.

The Vietnamese won over No.8 Martin Horn of Germany 50-29 at the quarter-finals, and No.7 cueist Tasdemir Tayfun of the host Turkey 50-41 afterward.

He only lost to current No.1 Dick Jaspers of the Netherlands at the final, receiving a prize of 10,000 EUR (11,195 USD) and 36 points, maintaining his spot in the world’s top 5.

The Vietnamese cueist had not competed at international competitions for two years due to the ongoing pandemic.

He and Nguyen Duc Anh Chien will represent Vietnam at the World Team Championship slated for mid-March in Germany.

Major tournaments in Europe also offer chances for the 39-year-old to maintain his top form. He is Vietnam's gold medal hopeful at the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31), to be held in the country this May.