Centeno gets precious berth in Predator Billiards Series Women's Showdown

MANILA, Philippines – For emerging the world women’s 10-Ball queen in Klagenfurt, Austria in October last year, Filipina pool star Chezka Centeno was given one of the eight spots and seeded players to the $100,000 Predator Billiards Series Women’s Showdown set February 27 to March 1 in Las Vegas.

“Something to look forward to,” said the 24-year-old Zamboanga City native who joined the ranks that included her idol, mentor and friend Rubilen Amit as world champions after her magical Klagenfurt feat.

In Las Vegas, the 16-player field will also have reigning world 9-Ball titlist Chou Chieh-Yu of Chinese Taipei, Great Britain’s Kelly Fisher and Allison Fisher, Bulgaria’s Kristina Zlateva, Austria’s Jasmin Ouschan, Australia’s Bean Hung and Chinese Taipei’s Chen Chia Hua.

The other eight participants have yet to be determined.

The Women’s Showdown will begin with a round-robin group stage with each group having two seeded players and two invited players.

The top two players from each bracket advance to the single-round elimination stage.

The event, which stakes $35,000 to the champion, is said to be one of the greatest and strongest women’s fields as all eight are ranked in the WPA top eight, including Centeno at No. 6.

And Centeno hopes to wade into battle with one thing in mind — win it all.

“Promising to grind even harder, aim higher, and evolve into the player I've dreamed of becoming,” she said.