ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan—Rubilen Amit advanced to the semifinal round following her 7-1 win over Iran’s Parisa Mangli in the quarterfinal of the women’s 10-Ball Pool singles in the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG) Monday at the Ashgabat Olympic Complex here.
Amit, who hails from Mandaue City, Cebu, quickly grabbed a 5-0 advantage, before Mangli won the sixth rack off an error by Amit.
That was, however, the only game Mangli won as Amit took the next two racks to win the race-to-seven encounter, and secure a spot in the semifinal where she will meet Taiwan’s Wei Tzu-Chien.
Wei edged Lim Yunmi of South Korea, 7-2, in the quarterfinal. The semifinal is scheduled in the afternoon. The other semifinal match will pit China’s Chen Siming and Taiwan’s Chou Chieh-Yu.
Amit, the 10-Ball World Championship winner in 2009 and 2013, actually assured herself of a bronze medal with her win, which matched her podium finish during the 2013 AIMAG in Incheon, South Korea.
“Hopefully maka-pasok sa finals, sa gold medal game para madagdagan yung collection ng Philippine Team ng ginto galing sa billiards. But it’s not going to be easy,” said Amit.
“Magaling din talaga yung Korean na makaka-harap natin sa semifinals. Kung makaka-lusot, magagaling din yung nasa kabilang bracket. So sana makuha natin,” added Amit.
The win of Amit, 35, came a day after Warren Kiamco and Johann Chua fell to China’s LV Haotian and Liu Haitao, 9-4, in the men’s 9-Ball Pool Scotch doubles semifinal Sunday night.
Kiamco and Chua claimed the bronze medal.
With the latest medal from Kiamco and Chua, the country now has a medal haul of two gold medals courtesy of Jiu-Jitsu fighters Margarita “Meggie” Ochoa and Annie Ramirez, 10 silvers and 11 bronze medals.
Kickboxer Robin Catalan lost to Hamza Abughazleh of Jordan, 2-0, in the quarterfinals of the men’s low kick -51kg despite leading in the first two rounds of their three-round encounter.
Grandmasters Julio Catalino Sadorra and Eugene Torre finished 18th and 19th among 44 entries in men’s standard individual chess while Woman Fide Master Shania Mae Mendoza ended up 17th in her event.
Wrestler Grace Loberanes missed out on a medal after Sheetal Tomar of India scored a 2-0 win in the repechage of women’s freestyle -48kg.
The national team dancers will try to add to the medal count as action starts Monday in Dance Sports.
The pair of Gerald Jamili and Cherry Claire Parcon, the reigning Latin Jive pair champion, leads the country’s bid. The other Filipino participants are Ma. Daniella Renee Publico, German Enriquez, Sean Mischa Aranar, Ana Leonila Nualla, Michael Angelo Marquez and Stephanie Sabalo.
In bowling, the women’s and men’s teams are likewise competing in preliminary round at press time. Silver medal winner Kenneth Chua leads the men’s team, while veteran Maria Liza del Rosario heads the women’s squad.