SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA: Self-discipline and being religious in practices propelled 18-year-old Francis Charlton Vedeja to winning gold in the billiards event in the recently concluded regional sports meet in Bacolod City. Francis Charlton Vedeja of the Antique National School (ANS) won oneof the 17 gold medals for the province in the 2024 Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association (WVRAA) on May 2-7, also earning him the opportunity to represent the region to the Palarong Pambansa in Cebu in July. 'I was in Grade 4 or only 10 years old when I started to play billiards,' he said in an interview. He shared that he had to use a monoblock chair to reach the billiards table in a store near their house in Barangay Dalipe, San Jose de Buenavista. He honed his skills by joining barangay and municipal tournaments in Antique, which also won him cash prizes. Unlike playing basketball, which is more physical, billiards requires less movement because the player only moves around the tabletop. 'I learned to love b illiards because I have to use my mind to think of strategies to win the game,' he said. Vedeja said he practiced hard during nighttime and woke up early in the morning to do physical exercise. He is hopeful to get recruited as a varsity player, obtain a scholarship, and earn a Marine Engineering degree in the future should he win in the Palaro. He then advised teenagers like him to refrain from vices like cigarette smoking and drinking alcoholic drinks and instead engage in sports that could bring them a brighter future. 'I would like to become a seafarer someday to help my family,' he said. Source: Philippines News Agency