Rubilen "Bingkay" Amit (born October 3, 1981) is a Filipino female professional pool player from Mandaue, Cebu. She is a two-time WPA Women's World Ten-ball champion and the first Filipina pool player to become WPA Women's World Nine-ball champion in 2024.[1]Amit is also the second Filipino player behind Carlo Biado to win both ten-ball and nine-ball championships.

Rubilen Amit
Amit in 2017
Born (1981-10-03) October 3, 1981 (age 43)
Mandaue, Cebu, Philippines
Sport country Philippines
Medal record
Representing  Philippines
Women's Eight-ball
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Asian Indoor Games - 1 1
Southeast Asian Games 10 5 1
Total 10 6 2
WPA Women's World Ten-ball Championship
Winner 2013 Champion
Winner 2009 Champion
Bronze medal – third place 2010 3rd
WPA Women's World Nine-ball Championship
Winner 2024 Champion
Silver medal – second place 2007 Runner-Up
Bronze medal – third place 2018 3rd
Bronze medal – third place 2019 3rd
Southeast Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 2005 Manila Singles
Gold medal – first place 2009 Vientiane Singles
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Nakhon Ratchasima Singles
Women's Nine-ball
Southeast Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 2005 Manila Singles
Gold medal – first place 2007 Nakhon Ratchasima Singles
Gold medal – first place 2009 Vientiane Singles
Gold medal – first place 2019 Philippines Singles
Gold medal – first place 2019 Philippines Doubles
Gold medal – first place 2021 Hanoi Singles
Silver medal – second place 2011 Palembang Singles
Silver medal – second place 2013 Naypyidaw Singles
Silver medal – second place 2015 Singapore Singles
Silver medal – second place 2017 Kuala Lumpur Singles
Women's Ten-ball
Asian Indoor-Martial Arts Games
Silver medal – second place 2017 Ashgabat Singles
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Incheon Singles
Southeast Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 2013 Naypyidaw Singles
Gold medal – first place 2021 Hanoi Singles
Silver medal – second place 2019 Philippines Singles

Biography

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Rubilen Amit was born in Mandaue, Cebu.

Amit began playing during her teens, often tagging along with her father Bobby at the Super Bowl in Makati. In college, she studied accountancy at the University of Santo Tomas. She participated in and won the 2000 and 2001 College of Commerce and Business Administration's billiards tournaments.[2] After graduating in 2004, Amit worked as a call center agent for a year. In 2005, she was accepted to the Philippine Pool National Team. However, in early 2013, Amit, along with other top Filipino pool players, was removed from the national team due to a controversial reorganization of the national team by the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines.[3][4][5][6]

Career

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In 2009, Amit became the first Filipina to become a world pool champion after claiming her first WPA Women's World Ten-ball Championship title, outclassing two-time Women’s World Nine-ball champion Liu Hsin-mei of Taiwan, 10–4 at the SM North in Quezon City, Manila Philippines.[7] Also in 2009, Amit partnered Efren "Bata" Reyes to win the inauragral World Mixed Doubles Classic defeating Korean team of Charlie Williams and Eun Ji Park with a 9–7 score held at the Nuvo City Lifestyle Center in Libis, Quezon City.[8] She also won the 2011 event once again partnering Reyes. The pair beat the American pair of Johnny Archer and Jeannette Lee 10–6 in the final at Shopping Center in Hangzhou, China.[9]

In 2013, Amit won her second WPA Women's World Ten-ball Championship, defeating Kelly Fisher of Great Britain 10–7 in the final at Newport Mall in Pasay City, Philippines.[10] She became the first female pool player to win two ten-ball championships after her victory in 2009.[11]

In 2022, the trio of Amit, Carlo Biado and Johann Chua emerged triumphant in the 2022 WPA World Teams Championship after sweeping Great Britain, 3–0, in the final in Klagenfurt, Austria. Great Britain was composed of Kelly Fisher, Jayson Shaw, and Darren Appleton.[12] With the win, they gave the Philippines its first World Team Ten-ball title after runner-up finishes in 2010 and 2014.

In 2024, Amit won the WPA Women's World Nine-ball Championships in Hamilton, New Zealand, defeating Chen Siming of China 3 sets to 1 (1-4), (4-2), (4-2) and (4-3). She took home the top prize of $50,000 (2.9m PHP).[13]

Amit's victory made her the first Filipina pool player to win the women's world nine-ball title and the second Filipino pool player, after Carlo Biado, to win both the ten-ball and nine-ball world championships.[14]

Amit is a multiple time Sea Games gold medalists, winning 10 golds, 5 silvers and 1 bronze. She also won 1 silver and 1 bronze at Asian Indoor Games.

Titles

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Recognitions

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In 2019, Amit was recognized as one of the Top 100 Cebuano personalities by The Freeman, Cebu's longest-running newspaper. She was recognized alongside Tomas Osmeña, Resil Mojares, and Max Surban as part of the centennial anniversary of the local newspaper.[15]

References

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  1. ^ editor, delfin dioquino (September 8, 2024). "Rubilen Amit captures historic Women's World 9-Ball crown for PH". RAPPLER. Retrieved September 8, 2024. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  2. ^ "Amit pockets World 10-ball plum at home". University of Santo Tomas – The Varsitarian. November 18, 2013.
  3. ^ in Billiard (July 29, 2013). "Amit, 1st Pinay world pool champion". Philippine Asian News Today. Archived from the original on November 5, 2013. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  4. ^ "A new chapter for Rubilen Amit – INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos". Sports.inquirer.net. April 27, 2009. Archived from the original on August 10, 2009. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  5. ^ "Pool's Top Source for News, Views, Tips & More". Billiards Digest. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  6. ^ "'Eyebrow-raising move': NSA drops Philippine's top billiard players". Sun.Star. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  7. ^ "A new chapter for Rubilen Amit - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos". web.archive.org. August 10, 2009. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  8. ^ "Bata, Amit Clinch 1st World Mixed Doubles Classic - News - AZBILLIARDS.COM". AzBilliards. December 3, 2009. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  9. ^ "Reyes, Amit Win World Pool Mixed Doubles Championship in China - News - AZBILLIARDS.COM". AzBilliards. December 2, 2011. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  10. ^ "Rubilen Amit Wins 2nd Gold at Yalin World 10-Ball for the Philippines - News - AZBILLIARDS.COM". AzBilliards. November 4, 2013. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  11. ^ "Rubilen Amit regains world 10-ball title after big fightback against Kelly Fisher". Spin.ph. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  12. ^ "Team PH wins World Teams 10-ball title". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  13. ^ "Rubilen Amit bags first 9-ball world title in New Zealand". Spin.ph. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  14. ^ Malgapu, Hans (September 13, 2024). "Accountancy alumna pockets world 9-Ball Championship, becomes first Pinay to win gold". University of Santo Tomas. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  15. ^ "Top 100 Cebuano Personalities - Rubilen Amit". The Freeman. July 11, 2019. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
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