Rubilen Amit –LYN RILLON/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Rubilen Amit has the habit of resisting the temptation of looking at the tournament draw every time she plays, and this odd approach has worked wonders for the current world No. 4 in women’s pool.
“I avoid looking at the list of entries and the bracketing, because I have the tendency to get excited,’’ Amit told the Inquirer. “Then I lose focus at the task at hand and get lost in the moment.’’
The outlook will stay that way for Amit, a 10-time Southeast Asian (SEA) Games gold medalist, who plunges into one of the biggest challenges of her career—the women’s 9-ball tourney in the coming World Games 2022 in Birmingham, Alabama.
Amit will open her campaign on July 14 against the finest women pool sharks in the world without really knowing who she faces first.
“The idea is to look for something that works for you. This approach works for me. I will play my best whoever I face. I don’t want to pressure myself, I just battle it out and see what happens,’’ said Amit.
Seeking 9-ball gold
The two-time 10-ball world champion has never won an individual 9-ball diadem on the global stage, with a bronze in the 2007 World Pool Association Women’s World 9-ball Championship her most biggest achievement in the event.
“I’m bringing along the confidence I gained from the SEA Games. There’s no assurance that I will win, it’s really anybody’s ballgame. At this level, it depends on your luck with the balls,’’ said Amit, who ruled the 9- and 10-ball events in the SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Joining Amit in the World Games are Asian powerlifting champion Joyce Gail Reboton, billiard ace Carlo Biado, karate’s Junna Tsukii, jiujitsu’s Annie Ramirez, muay’s Phillip Delarmino and Leeana Bade and duathletes Kim Mangrobang, John Chicano and Fernando Casares.