Amit Cup billiards tourney returns with 2nd season

MANILA, Philippines – A bigger, better and more exciting second season of the Amit Cup billiard championships kicks off in July.

Three-time world champion Rubilen Amit, co-organizer of the Amit Cup, said that more female billiard artists, including players in the provinces have expressed their desire to participate to showcase their skills in the six-leg tournament.

"After the first season which we might to say very successful, many players from provinces particularly from Cebu called us to express their intention to join. We're expecting to double the number of participants this coming second season of the Amit Cup," said Amit during the Tabloids Organization in Philippine Sports, Inc. (TOPS) ‘Usapang Sports’ on Thursday at the PSC Conference Room in Malate, Manila.

"We are looking at two venues that can accommodate a large number of participants. We expect more players to participate in the second season. We are very happy with what happened in the first season of the Amit Cup because it served the purpose of uplifting women's billiards and strengthening the sports at grassroots level," said Amit in the program sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission and Behrouz Persian Cuisine.

Ren De Vera, Amit's partner in organizing and tournament director, welcomed the support they received for the tournament while calling for more private sectors to lend a helping hand as they continue the advocacy in increasing the quality of billiards talent, particularly in women’s side.

"Right now, there are groups that keep making tournaments to sustain the development. With Rubilen, we created the Amit Cup so that more players can be discovered," he said.

According to Amit, part of his responsibility is to restore the popularity of billiards and help strengthen the women's team.

"Our men's team has been solid ever since after Tatay Efren (Bata Reyes), Dyango (Bustamante), Dennis (Orcollo) Carlo (Biado). In the women's team, we really need to pay attention, right now Cheska (Centeno) and I are the only faces of billiards for Philippines in the international tournament, so we made this Amit Cup to produce more talented players that can join the Philippine Team in the future," said Amit.

Amit Cup Season 1 champion Leslie Gaite is the new potential that Amit sees that can give strength to the country's women's team in the future. At the age of 24, the style of the junior Criminology student from Arellano University-Mandaluyong is impressive.

"Leslie (Gaite) was nervous in the interview, but in the game, she was in full spirits, very strong and skillful.  You will be impressed by his talent and hopefully he will continue his efforts to train to sharpen his skills. No doubt, she is one of our future women's players," added Amit.

Gaite insists that it is no joke to combine studies and playing billiards, but she is doing everything to improve his skills in the sports that he loved from the very first time he held a cue.

“My family has a big influence on me. At the age of 8, I watched my uncles and cousins play billiards, and I liked it, so I continued playing. There are many good players, so I am happy winning the Amit Cup," said Gaite, who claimed the title via a heart-stopping 9-8 win against Carmille Lumawag of Bacolod City.