Vietnam crowned champions at 2026 World Team 3-Cushion Championship
VOV.VN - Two Vietnamese cueists, Tran Quyet Chien and Nguyen Tran Thanh Tu, delivered a composed and high-level performance at the 2026 World Team 3-Cushion Championship in Germany, securing the title for the second time.
Vietnam faced Germany in a highly anticipated rematch, having drawn with the hosts in the group stage where Tran Quyet Chien won his match while Thanh Tu narrowly lost.
In the opening match of the final, Tran Quyet Chien squared off against seasoned German cueist Martin Horn. The Vietnamese star started strongly and built an early lead. However, Horn responded with a 12-point run in the 12th inning to narrow the gap to 17–19, then added a 6-point run in the 13th inning to move ahead 23–19 at halftime.
After the break, Quyet Chien demonstrated his class and resilience. He produced a 6-point run in the 15th inning to level the score at 26–26. In the decisive moment, with the score at 29–30, the Vietnamese player unleashed a decisive 11-point run in the 17th inning to seal a 40–30 victory.
With that result, Quyet Chien completed a perfect run in the tournament, remaining unbeaten throughout the championship.
Facing Germany’s Amir Ibraimov on the other table, Nguyen Tran Thanh Tu controlled the match for most of the contest and maintained the lead despite strong resistance from his opponent in the closing innings.
Although Ibraimov mounted a late comeback attempt, Thanh Tu held his nerve to secure a narrow 40–38 win after 28 innings, confirming Vietnam’s overall 2–0 triumph in the final.
Earlier, Vietnam had a draw with Germany in the group stage. They had winning matches against Mexico and France to advance to the quarterfinals. The national team continued to trounce Turkey and Sweden in the quarter-finals and semi-finals before defeating Germany in the final.
This victory marks Vietnam’s second World Team 3-Cushion Championship title. The country first lifted the trophy in 2024, when Tran Quyet Chien partnered with Bao Phuong Vinh. In 2025, Vietnam finished as runners-up after losing to the Netherlands in the final.
Two cueists to represent Vietnam at 2026 World Team 3-Cushion Championship
VOV.VN - Two representatives, Tran Quyet Chien and Nguyen Tran Thanh Tu, will compete for Vietnam as defending runners-up at the 2026 World Team 3-Cushion Championship, set for February 26 to March 1 in Viersen, Germany.
