MEXICO - Ten days after Luis Miguel Avila tested positive for Corona and was transported to hospital, the 60-year-old Mexican billiard player died in Mexico City today. He was married to Sarah and had two daughters. Luis Avila, born in Zacatecas on July 27, 1960, was on the podium at the World Championship three cushion in Luxembourg, 2001, where Belgian legend Raymond Ceulemans won his last world title at the end of his impressive career ahead of Marco Zanetti, Luis Avila and Tonny Carlsen.
The very popular and extremely modest Luis Avila in his country won the Sang Lee Open in New York in 2010, took more than 20 Mexican titles and won 3 Pan American title, among other things. ''He was our brother, this is a very sad day for me and for Mexican billiards,'' Roberto Rojas, the well-known artistic billiard player reacted to Avilla's death.
Luis Avila was one of the founders of the Mexican billiards association, the UMCB. Roberto Rojas was among the oter founders with Jesús Gallegos, Rodolfo Cobarruvias, Miguel Almarás, José Paniagua, and Jésus Lara.
Daniel Campos, one of Avila's billiard friends, played last year with him in the Morelia City tournament. ''My family has been friends with him for more than 20 years, this is a very sad loss.''
Dick Jaspers, the current number one in the world: ''Billiard friends told me he was ill, but how sad to hear that he passed away. I met him a few times during the Mexico Tours and played with him at the 2001 World Championship where he finished third. Luis was a very nice, friendly man.''
Not only did Dick Jaspers and Marco Zanetti perform at that historic World Championship because of Ceulemans' last title. Torbjörn Blomdahl, Semih Sayginer, Frédéric Caudron and Dani Sánchez finished in the top ten. Luis Avila was eliminated for the title by Marco Zanetti and won the battle for third place against Tonny Carlsen.
The founders of the Mexican federation: Miguel Almaráz, José Paniagua, Luis Avila, Jesús Gallegos and lying down Roberto Rojas
