Billiards
Rubilen Amit eyes SEA Games billiards golds
After reaching the quarterfinals of the 2011 Women’s World 10-Ball championship, Rubilen Amit sets her sights on gold medals in the 2011 Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia.
The 30-year-old Amit looks to add two more golds to her medal chest as the five-time SEA Games champion goes for the 8-ball and 9-ball title.
Amit said that the recent world tilt will definitely boost her chances come the SEA Games billiards and snooker tournament set on November 12 to 19.
“Maganda ang chance lalo na at galing ako sa laban,” Amit said. “Na-testing na ang puso kaya pagdating doon, kung ibigay sa atin ang laban, magiging maganda.”
Amit bowed to Chinese Taipei’s Tsai Pei Chen, 8-7, in a classic match to fail in her bid to repeat her 2009 performance wherein she captured the title during the tournament’s first edition.
Now, she turns her attention on the SEA Games where she will defend her gold medals in the 8-ball and 9-ball singles event.
With the field set on dethroning Amit in the two events, she said that the toughest opponent in the SEA Games is actually herself — a realization that she got from last year’s world 10-ball champion Jasmin Ouschan of Austria, whom Amit defeated during the group stage last week.
“Maganda ‘yung sagot niya nung press conference na ang pinakamatinding kalaban niya ay ang sarili niya. Naniniwala ako na ganun din ang mangyayari sa SEA Games kasi kapag andyan na sa la mesa, ibang ball game na ang pinag-uusapan,” said Amit.
Iris Ranola will also be competing in the SEA Games following her elimination in the round-of-16 of the world 10-ball meet. She aims to at least duplicate her bronze medal in the 9-ball competitions.
“Malaki naman po ang chance ko na magka-medalya pero anybody’s ball game po kasi ang SEA Games dahil race-to-7 lang at single elimination,” said Ranola, who will also compete in the 8-ball and 9-ball singles.
The billiards team will leave on Tuesday for Palembang, the site of the billiards competition.
