Amit Rubilen Amit (right) and Chezka Centeno: All-Filipino finals.

Big day for Amit, Biado

May 22, 2022 People's Tonight 395 views

HANOI – Rubilen Amit bagged her second gold at the expense of Chezka Centeno while Carlo Biado got back at Johann Chua as the Philippines capped its campaign in the 31st Southeast Asian Games here by sweeping the 10-ball singles titles Saturday at the Ha Dong Gymnasium.

Amit, the World 10-ball champion in 2009 and 2013, beat Centeno for the distaff gold 7-5, cementing her status as perhaps the best female cue artist in the history of the biennial games.

“Natutuwa ako dahil Philippines versus Philippines sa finals. Walang pressure na mapunta sa ibang bansa ang gold,” said Amit, who also bagged the 9-ball singles gold earlier this week.

“It’s always a pleasure to play Chezka. No lead is safe with her. It showed kanina nu’ng 5-2 ako and I made an error and naging 5-5 agad. Naging ma-swerte lang ako,” Amit added after beating Centeno, a dear friend.

The win was Amit’s 10th in the SEA Games since winning her first two gold medals in the Manila 2005 Games.

Centeno, a two-time SEA Games winner in 10-ball, settled for the silver after crashing out early in the 9-ball singles.

Biado, 39, avenged his finals loss to Chua in 9-ball singles with a 9-3 victory in the 10-ball singles finals, their every shot lapped up by a full and appreciative crowd.

Biado, the reigning US Open champion and 2017 World Games winner, raised his cue stick with both hands after pocketing the 10-ball in the 12th rack and exchanged high-fives with Chua, 29, both breaking into wide smiles.

It was a memorable stint for the Philippine team here, its members led by legend Efren “Bata” Reyes going home with four gold, four silver and two bronzes, one of them courtesy of the 67-year-old icon.

In the 2019 Philippine Games, the team had a 4-3-5 medal haul.

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