![Perfect professional transformation… ‘Cambodia Kim Yuna’ Srong Piabi “I want to give courage to multicultural women” [설날인터뷰]](http://image.sportsseoul.com/2021/02/10/news/2021021001000606200041181.jpg "Perfect professional transformation… ‘Cambodia Kim Yuna’ Srong Piabi “I want to give courage to multicultural women” [설날인터뷰]")
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[스포츠서울 김용일기자] “I can’t even have a ritual together on the New Year’s holiday… Support my family to transform into a professional.”
‘Cambodian billiard star’ Srong Piabi, 31, who declared to go to professional billiards LPBA, said with a smile after a successful professional debut. Piabi took first place in the group with 105 points in the LPBA (Women’s Department) PQ Round of the’Welcome Savings Bank Wellbang PBA and LPBA Championship 2021′ held at the Mayfield Hotel special stadium in Gangseo-gu, Seoul on the 9th, followed by 74 points in the round of 64. And advanced to the round of 32 held on the 10th.
In the first half of the PQ round, Piabi made seven pitches, perhaps because of the pressure of his debut. However, in the second half, it attracted attention with its unique relaxed shot and aggressive bank shot (a total of 6). Average 1.208, which was not the highest level of his performance, but it was the first game that was easier compared to star players such as Cho Jae-ho and Kim Min-ah, who had previously turned into pros, had a harsh debut. And in the 64th round, he was tied up with Kim Min-ah, who competed for the top in his days, but boasted a more relaxed match and took first place.
Piabi, who married Kim Man-sik (60), who ran a printing shop in Cheongju, Chungbuk in 2010, when she was 20 years old, followed her husband to the billiard room the following year and caught a cue. My husband, Kim, who had noticed his talent, suggested that Piabi to learn billiards formally, and Piabi practiced hard and fell into the beauty of billiards. Having swept the national amateur competition for three years since 2014, he registered as an official player of the Korean Billiards Federation in January 2016, and rose to the top of the domestic rankings in June 2017, one year and six months later. Since then, the Cambodian government established the Cambodia Carom Federation led by the Prime Minister in June 2018 for Piabi, who is elevating her national prestige by becoming a star in Korea. At the same time, he also stepped on the stage of the World Carom Federation (UMB) World Championships, proving his’world class skills’ by advancing to the semifinals in a row from 2018 to 2019. And finally, in the new year of 2021, he declared to enter the LPBA stage, which was launched in Korea, and successfully passed the debut game, drawing a new dream.
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An official on Piabi said, “Piabi was sensitive until the day before as fans and media’s interest in her professional debut grew. Even so, when I arrived at the venue, I saw that I was comfortable and felt like a ready pro.” The game was played without spectators in the aftermath of Corona 19, but the brilliant lighting, the comments of the announcer in the venue, and the eyes of the relay camera. Even if I was a Piabi of the world, it would be burdensome because it was a completely different atmosphere from the stage. But right after the game, he said, “I wasn’t trembling when I entered the stadium. (Probably at the time) It was similar to the atmosphere of the UMB tournament,” he laughed. “I didn’t care if I had to adapt to the new table and official ball, and I rather enjoyed this atmosphere and tension.
Above all, this is the first time that an official competition has been held during the Lunar New Year holiday. This is also possible because I was a professional. At this point, Piabi quickly turned back to’daughter-in-law’. He said, “I am unable to join my family this year due to the aftermath of Corona 19. Also, personally, I am sorry to my family because I couldn’t even participate in the ritual (by participating in the competition). “Even so, my family supported my professional debut.”
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In addition to his family, Piabi was grateful to the Cambodian Billiards Federation in his country for supporting his professional transformation. He said, “I have been thinking a lot for the past month. In particular, because of the Cambodian Federation (probably that existed to support the stage), he hesitated to make the decision (going professional), but the Federation told me that’whatever you choose, you support the life of a billiard player. “I am not familiar with the concept of pro in Cambodia, but many people, including the president of the Federation, were proud of the pro player title and respected my choice.”
Piabi said she wanted to give courage and hope to people from multicultural families through the LPBA stage. He has long been involved in events and policies related to multicultural families. Last year, he received the Minister’s Citation for family policy merit. In addition, it has been running a multicultural charity billiards academy since 1 year and 6 months ago, nurturing prospects of multicultural families who dream of becoming’second piabi’. He said, “Multicultural people, among them, those who are married to Korea as women, have a lot of shame. “I want to give them courage by challenging themselves on the professional stage,” he said. “It is another dream to participate in the Southeast Asian Games held in Cambodia in 2023.”
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