Amit, Jerusalem lead Philippine sports' September achievers

MANILA, Philippines — Lady cuemaster Rubilen Amit and boxing champ Melvin Jerusalem carried the banner in a September to remember for Filipino sportsmen and women.

Further cementing her status as queen of billiards, Amit captured the WPA World Women’s 9-Ball Championship with a gutsy 1-4, 4-2, 4-2, 4-3, over Chinese Chen Siming, 1-4, 4-2, 4-2, 4-3, in Hamilton, New Zealand.

Jerusalem dominated previously unbeaten Mexican challenger Luis Castillo to win by unanimous decision and retain the WBC minimumweight belt in front of home supporters in Mandaluyong.

In giving the country two world titles in a four-week period, Amit, a two-time world 10-ball titlist, and Jerusalem, one of only two current Filipino world boxing champs, earned raves as the Philippine Sportswriters Association’s top achievers for September.

The duo’s feats were complemented by shining performances in various fronts.

There’s Carlo Biado, another pool great, who reigned supreme in the Ho Chi Minh 9-Ball Open in Vietnam, as well as Johann Chua, who ruled the Zen&Yuan8 9-Ball tournament in Shanghai, China.

Add in weightlifters Angeline Colonia (women’s 45kg) and Lovely Inan, future Hidilyn Diazes who snared two gold medals and a silver each in the IWF World Junior Championships in Leon, Spain.

Ditto the Philippine women’s chess team of WGM Janelle Mae Frayna, WIM Jan Jodilyn Fronda, WIM Bernadette Galas, WFM Ruelle Canino and WFM Shania Mae Mendoza, who won the gold in Category B of the 45th World Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary and 20-year-old sensation Daniel Quizon, who became the country’s 17th GM and the first since 2011 after his stellar play in the prestigious event.

And there's also pro fighter Charly Suarez, who hammered an impressive third-round TKO win over Jorge Castaneda in Arizona to claim the WBO international junior lightweight title and move closer to his world title dream.