RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Seventeen-year-old Indonesian cueist Albert Januarta strengthened his rising international reputation after capturing the Junior Las Vegas Open 2026 title in the United States, a victory hailed by Youth and Sports Minister Erick Thohir as proof of Indonesia’s growing presence in global billiards.

Competing in Las Vegas, Albert secured the championship following a tightly contested final against American representative Sofia Mast. Displaying composure and consistent shot-making, he closed the match with a 2-1 victory to bring the title home to Indonesia.

“This result shows that Indonesia has talented athletes who can demonstrate the nation’s strength on the world stage,” Minister Erick Thohir wrote in a social media post accompanying a video of Albert’s performance, monitored in Jakarta on Monday, March 2, as quoted by Antara.

The minister stressed that Albert’s triumph was not an overnight achievement. The young athlete has steadily built his resume at the junior international level, previously winning the Indonesia International Junior Open 2024, the Hanoi Junior Open 2024, and the Saudi Arabia Junior Open 2025.

Those results underline his consistency in competing internationally from a young age.

Beyond junior tournaments, Albert has also begun testing himself in senior-level competition. In 2025, he captured the Zen Custom Cue & Yuan 8 Open title in China, a tournament featuring experienced players from multiple countries.

According to the minister, Albert’s progress reflects Indonesia’s broader potential in billiards, particularly among its younger generation. He expressed appreciation to the player, who hails from the Riau Islands province, for his dedication in representing Indonesia on the world stage.

Minister Erick encouraged Albert to treat the Las Vegas victory as motivation to further sharpen his skills, strengthen his competitive mindset, and expand his international exposure.

“Do not be satisfied too quickly and continue improving your quality to be able to compete at the international level,” he wrote. ***