Amit seeks bigger breaks in 2010

MANILA, Philippines - After a string of victories in 2009, the Philippines’ Rubilen Amit is looking to sustain her charge, hoping for bigger achievements in 2010.

She’s particularly hopeful of a successful title defense in the World 10-Ball Championship set in April in Manila.

“I have no specific schedule yet but for sure I’ll be there (World 10-Ball Championship) to defend my title,” said Amit.

Amit ruled the inaugural edition of the World 10-Ball tilt in Manila last year, beating the best of women’s billiards to join an elite group of Filipino world champions in Efren “Bata” Reyes, Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan and Ronnie Alcano.

It was one of Amit’s three triumphs in 2009 as she teamed up with Reyes to reign supreme in the World Mixed Doubles Championship last November and then copped the eight-ball and nine-ball gold medals in the 2009 Laos Southeast Asian Games a month later.

Amit’s pair of golden efforts in Vientiane was one more than what their men’s counterparts pocketed.

Amit is also eyeing to become world 9-ball champion just like her idol, Reyes, as she will participate in the World 9-Ball Championship slated Aug. 23-29 in Shenyang, China.

The Filipino pool ace came close to being one when she finished runner-up in the Amway-backed tilt several years ago, losing to Korean ace Ga Young Kim in the finale.

“I was younger then and haven’t really gained much experience,” said Amit. “Now that I’m a little more experienced, I hope I could finally end up nine-ball champion just like my idol Kuya Efren.”

Aside from these tournaments, Amit is also set to participate in the Amway Cup set March 1-7 in Chinese Taipei and the Philippine Open men and women 10-Ball Championships from April 19-24 in Manila.

Of course, Amit, a gold medalist in the 2006 Doha Asian Games, is seeking to snare golds in the 8- and 9-ball events in the 2010 Asian Games from Nov. 12-27 in Guangzhou, China.

“It’s one of the tournaments I’m preparing for,” said Amit referring to the quadrennial Asian event. “It’s really going to be a busy year for me.”