KUALA LUMPUR -- Billiard ace Chezka Centeno on Sunday retained the women’s 9- ball pool single title, beating compatriot Rubilen Amit, 7-6, in the nerve-wracking billiards finals at the 29th Southeast Asian Games here.
Centeno’s victory gave the Philippines its 19th gold in the regional biennial games.
“I didn’t expect to win the match, I was shocked when she (Amit) made a scratch," said Centeno.
Centeno made a blunder in failing to convert the No. 6 ball with four balls left in the game, shifting the favor to Amit in the race to seven match.
Amit, who took a commanding 3-0 lead in the early going, was headed for the crown by pocketing the No. 6 ball, but her mother ball scratched at the right side pocket. This allowed Centeno to go for the kill by pocketing the remaining balls to capture her back-to-back title in the SEA Games.
“It was a big error on my part,” said Amit who settled for the silver, feeling dejected but quick to shake hands with Centeno in a sportsmanlike conduct.
Centeno, of Zamboanga, a medalist in the recent World Cup held in Poland, was down by three racks to nil 3-0, but kept her composure and rallied in the hill-hill battle, tying the count at 6-all.
In other fronts, three more bronze medals were captured by the Filipino athletes which came from men’s doubles in sepak takraw; International 470 event of sailing women’s rhythmic gymnastics (single apparatus); and in lawn bowls singles courtesy of Elmer Abatayo.
As of 5:38 p.m. Sunday, Philippines tallied 19-26-51 (gold-silver-bronze) output as Team Philippines looked optimistic to also harvest golds in 9-ball (men), judo and karatedo with battled-tested Filipino sports “warriors” on the line. (PNA)
