Robbie Capito


Robbie James Joaquin Capito is a Hong Kong professional pool player. He is most known for defeating the reigning world number one pool player Eklent Kaçi at the 2018 WPA World Nine-ball Championship when he was 17 years old. He is a former two-time junior 9-ball world championship runner-up, having lost in the U19s 2018 final to Kin Ling Yip, and the U17s 2017 final to Sanjin Pehlivanovic.

Career

In 2017, he was voted Hong Kong's Most Outstanding Junior Athletes of 2017, having won gold at the Asian World Pool Championships, and a silver in the boys' under–17 category at the Junior World 9-ball Championships losing in the final to Sanjin Pehlivanovic 9–1.
The following year Capito finished as runner-up in the U19s final, losing to Kin Ling Yip, 11–10, despite being 10–3 behind. Capito later competed at the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in the 9-ball competition, but lost in the last 32 to Kuwait's Bashar Hussein.
In 2018, Capito reached the last 16 of the 2018 WPA World Nine-ball Championship, after defeating world number one Eklent Kaçi in the last 32, 11–10, when he was 17 years old. Capito defeated Kaçi after falling behind 7–1 earlier in the match. He lost in the next round to Joshua Filler, 11–1.
Later in 2018, Capito was chosen to represent Hong Kong at the 2018 World Cup of Pool, alongside partner Lo Ho Sum. The Hong Kong team lost to the Greek team of Alexander Kazakis and Nick Malaj, 7–0, without winning a single rack.

Personal life

Capito was born on 19 June 2001 in Hong Kong. His parents are both natives of the Philippines. He says that he started playing pool aged two years old, after buying a mini pool table from Toys R Us, and would later play in his first pool room aged five.