Rubilen Amit Wins 2007 SEA Games 9-Ball Billiards Championship!

Filipino pool player Rubilen Amit, aka Bingkay, won’t be denied! And I kid you not! Congratulations to my good friend Rubilen Amit who successfully defended and retained her SEA Games 9-ball championship with a 7-5 win over Angeline Magdalena Ticoalu at the Sima Thani Hall in Thailand!

Rubilen Amit, a double-gold medal winner in the 2005 Manila SEA Games and 1st-Runner Up at the Amway 2007 World 9-Ball Championship, made a come-from-behind rally after tailing 2-5 in the alternate-break 9-ball pocket billiards format. Amit successfully posted the second gold for the Philippine billiards team. Marlon Manalo, aka Marvelous, and Antonio Gabica, aka Gaga, won the first gold for the team in the 9-ball billiards doubles competition. Other notable billiards players who were trounced by Rubilen Amit, an accounting graduate of the University of Sto. Tomas, include Indonesia’s Wahyuni Sri and Thailand’s Jaisuekul Santhinee.

Amit’s game was characterized by her unmistakable rhythm, fantastic safety shots, and good breaks, which she capitalized on towards the end of the match. A handful of Filipino supporters, led by my good friends,Edgardo “Boyet” Asonto and Ricardo Ancaja, aka Ramon Champion (Coaches of the Philippine Billiards Team), and Philippine Team members Iris Ranola and Mary Ann Basas, were at the event and celebrated Bingkay’s awesome win with other Filipinos.

The Philippine Billiards Team (Women's)
Coach Boyet Asonto with
Mary Ann Basas, Rubilen Amit, and Iris Ranola

Rubilen Amit has been under Boyet Asonto’s wings for a number of years now. I saw how Rubilen’s game improved a hundred-fold under Boyet’s intense drills in pockets billiards as they practiced for hours daily at the AMF-Superbowl at the Makati Cinema Square, Makati City, and GameBall in Taft, Manila. Boyet even had the entire Philippine Team practice at GameBall on December 1, 2007, the last Saturday before their departure for the 2007 SEA Games on December 4, 2007! Saturdays are usually reserved for the personal itineraries of the individual members of the Philippine Team, but the Coach wouldn’t have it any other way! He really wanted the Philippine Team to bring home the gold! I also remember the talk we had on the night before the Philippine Team’s departure for Thailand. We were at the AMF-Puyat Superbowl when Boyet Asonto confided in me his desire to see gold for all members of the Philippine Billiards Team. He talked about the weather, playing conditions, travel time, the strengths and weaknesses of the players, and the psychological aspects of the game. Indeed, Boyet was filled with excitement that night! If you could have seen the glow in his eyes! Grabe! Congratulations, my friend for a job well done! You trained ‘em hard! You trained’ em well! A hat tip to you, pare!

The AnitoKid with Boyet Asonto, Rubilen "Bingkay" Amit,
Antonio "Gaga" Gabica, and Gabica Jr.

Congratulations Bingkay! Remember what I told you at GameBall? Now, I need to have my picture taken with the gold medal! Ha ha ha! You make the Filipinos proud! You really do! Mabuhay!

"The AnitoKid supports the Philippine Team!"

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