Nguyen Tran Thanh Tu (L) embraces Tran Quyet Chien at the World Three-cushion Championship for National Teams in Viersen, Germany, on March 1, 2026. Photo by UMB
Tran Quyet Chien and Nguyen Tran Thanh Tu have propelled Vietnam to the second World Three-cushion Championship for National Teams title, securing a decisive victory over Germany in the final.
In the championship clash on Sunday night, Chien continued his dominant run with a 40-30 victory over Martin Horn after 17 innings. The 42-year-old maestro secured the match-winning point with a brilliantly executed shot.
As Chien wrapped up his game, Tu was leading Amir Ibraimov 38-24 at the other table. Tu quickly reached 39 points but missed several opportunities to close out the match. It was only after Ibraimov narrowed the deficit to 33-39 that Tu finally landed the decisive point, sealing a 40-33 victory and clinching the title for Vietnam.
The moment Tu scored the final point, Chien rushed over to embrace his teammate in celebration. This marks Vietnam’s second time lifting the World Three-cushion Championship for National Teams, following their 2024 triumph with a squad featuring Chien and Bao Phuong Vinh. Compared to the dramatic victory against Spain two years ago, this year’s title run was less challenging.
Chien was the driving force behind the team’s success, finishing the tournament with a flawless six wins in six matches despite facing world-class opponents such as Horn, Tayfun Tasdemir, Torbjorn Blomdahl and Jeremy Bury.
Tu concluded the tournament with two wins, one draw and three losses, securing crucial victories against Berkay Karakurt in the quarterfinals and Ibraimov in the final.
In the group stage, Vietnam defeated Mexico and drew with both Germany and France to advance. In the knockout rounds, Chien and Tu eliminated Turkey, Sweden and ultimately Germany to claim the title. These three knockout opponents represent some of the most successful nations in the tournament’s history, boasting a combined 20 titles.
The World Three-cushion Championship for National Teams, held annually since 1990, featured 16 teams this year. The teams were divided into four groups for round-robin play, with the top eight advancing to the quarterfinals. Matches are played simultaneously on two separate tables, with one player from each team facing off. If a match ends in an overall tie, the teams compete in a tie-break on a single table.
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