RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesian Youth and Sports Minister Erick Thohir praised five-year-old billiards player Fajar Alamri for competing in the Carabao International Open (CIO) 2026 in Jakarta, highlighting the youngster’s early potential on the international stage.

“Extraordinary, kecil-kecil cabe rawit,” Erick wrote on his official social media accounts on Thursday, February 11, 2026, as quoted by Antara. The phrase is an Indonesian expression used to describe someone small in stature but formidable in ability.

Fajar competed in the Carabao Junior Open 2026, held from February 4 to 8 as part of the CIO, which drew 341 athletes from 31 countries. The child from Tolitoli regency, Central Sulawesi, drew attention because of his age and the visible height difference between him and the full-sized billiards table. He stepped onto a small platform each time he prepared to strike the cue ball.

His campaign ended in the first session of the second day after he suffered a narrow 3-4 defeat to fellow Indonesian Mustofa Nur Ali.

After the match, Fajar was seen crying in his father’s arms, underscoring both his disappointment and his determination to continue pursuing the sport.

Erick also encouraged the young athlete to remain enthusiastic in training and competition in order to achieve future success for Indonesia.

Fajar’s performance drew the attention of Filipino billiards legends Efren Reyes and Django Bustamante, who watched him compete during the “Battle for Legacy” event organized by Moor Production in collaboration with the All Indonesia Billiards Association (POBSI).

Reyes said Fajar is among Indonesia’s promising young talents and noted that in many countries, including Indonesia and the Philippines, children are beginning to take up billiards at a very young age. However, he emphasized that sustained development and structured coaching are key to raising young players to higher competitive levels. ***