REYES AND AMIT PAIR UP TO DEFEND WORLD MIXED DOUBLES CROWN
By Marlon Bernardino
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 29 Nov 2011
Efren "Bata" Reyes and Rubilen Amit of the Philippines will defend their title in the second World Mixed Doubles Billiards Championships to be held on November 30 in Hangzhou, China.
Reyes and Amit led Team Philippines in the inaugural championship in 2009, defeating the Korean tandem of Charlie Williams and Eun Ji Park to take the $6,000 winner's purse.
Reyes and Amit, both playing under the banner of Puyat Sports is from the South East Asian Games in Palembang, Indonesia, will set out once again to compete in a major international event.
They will be joined by another Filipino pair in the form of recent San Miguel Beer Octoberfest 9-Ball Open Champion Lee Vann Corteza and SEA Games double Gold Medalist Iris Ranola.
Many of the other teams competing in the event are composed of world champions including recently crowned World 10-ball champion Kelly Fisher who will be pairing up with Tommy Donlon to make up one of two British teams. Some other notable teams include: Team USA (Johnny Archer and The Black Widow Jeanette Lee), Team Finland (Mika Immonen and Marika Poikkijoki) Team Chinese Taipei (Chao Fong Pang and Tsai Pei Chen) and the hometown bet from China (Li He Wen and Fu Xiao Fang) Reyes and Amit recognize the difficulty of playing in the scotch doubles format and have been preparing for the event for months. Unlike many of the other teams, they have the advantage of having been able to practice together consistently while preparing for the SEA Games. The addition of another Philippine team serves as a bonus and gives them a chance to make it an all- Filipino final similar to Amit and Ranola?s Gold Medal match in the Women?s 9- ball singles competition during the SEAG.
Ranola bought home double Gold Medals from both the 8-ball and the 9-ball events in the SEAG while Amit took home the silver for 9-ball. Reyes on the other hand, took home two bronze medals in 1-cushion and 3-cushion carom, a game which is hardly played on a competitive level in the country anymore. He gave way to the younger players for the billiard events but he was still able to bring home medals in the carom events which no one expected. Corteza is also fresh from his San Miguel Ber Octoberfest win which makes the entire Philippine contingent a group composed of players steeped in high morale.
?I?m excited to again be paired up with my idol Efren Reyes? says Amit. ?I?m looking forward to playing some of the best players in the World? The event pays out a top prize of US $15,000 with a total purse of US $40,000.
It is to be held on November 30 to December 2, 2011 in Hangzhou, one of China?s most beautiful cities an hour away from Shanghai. In recent years, Chinese players have emerged as the new powerhouse to look out for in the world of professional pool. Many new events have been staged in China and they have consistently produced several world champions including World Cup of Pool (doubles) and women?s world champions. Both of the Philippine teams are out to defend the title as well as defend the Philippines? claim as the ?Mecca of Pool? and the home of the best players in the world. A total of 16 teams will participate in this year's tournament, which features top male and female pool players.
"This is a dream come true for us to bring Dragon Promotions to China," said Wang Di, president of 9-Club Entertainment. "Their name is very respected here, and the World Mixed Doubles is one of the premiere events that we really wish to see.""Having the top men and women stars at the same time playing together will be a very big treat for the fans," he added.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Marlon Bernardino.
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