WOMEN’S WORLD 10-BALL CHAMPIONSHIP PRESCON

Photo by: Rey Nillama

An 11-year-old Filipina clinched one of the qualifying slots to join the world’s best lady cue artists in vying for the prestigious tiara in the JBETpoker.net Women’s World 10-Ball Championship, which begins today at the SM City North Edsa in Quezon City .

Gillian Go, a name previously unheard of in the local pool circuit, will be one of the country’s hopes in this historic event organized by Dragon Promotions in cooperation with JBETpoker.net and the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines.

“I never expected that I would play in the world championship. I just joined the qualifying tournament to gauge my skills and have the experience of playing in an international competition,” said Go, who defeated Hyun Ji-won of Korea, 7-5, in the deciding match of the second qualifying tournament Sunday at the Paeng’s Skybowl in Robinsons Galleria.

Go, who was introduced to the game at the age of five by father Carlos, is a Grade 6 student of Jubilee Christian Academy in Quezon.

She will join 2007 Women’s World 9-Ball runner-up Rubilen Amit, 2008 WPBA Rookie of the Year Iris Ranola and fellow qualifier Mary Ann Basas in carrying the Philippine flag in this five-day event also supported by ABS-CBN, SM Mall North Edsa, Magic 89.9, Predator Cues, Takini Billiard Cloth, Aramith, Puyat Sports, The Philippine Star, Bugsy Promotions and recognized by the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines.

Chicago-based Zara del Rosario, who traces her roots in Catarman, Samar, will also don the RP tricolors, along with fellow Fil-ams model-turned-professional pool player Shanelle Loraine and Jennifer Seaver.

“It’s gonna be a very exciting event,” said Jeanette “The Black Widow” Lee during the press conference yesterday at the Sky Dome of SM City North Edsa in Quezon City.

Lee is one of the top seeds in this tournament that offers a total cash prize of $75,000, including a lion’s share of $20,000 to the champion.

“It’s gonna be a wide-open race for the title and I think everybody has a chance, including that 11-year-old girl (Go),” added Lee, who is back in the Philippines for the first time in eight years or since her highly-intriguing duel with pool maestro Efren “Bata” Reyes in 2001.

Besides Lee, other marquee names seeing action in this tournament are Allison Fisher, Jasmin Ouschan, Ga Young-kim and Kelly Fisher.

“We’ll do our best to bring honor to our country, and I hope the Filipinos will come to support us,” said Amit.

A total of 48 cue artists from around the world will vie in this event billed as the biggest sporting event for women in the Philippines this year.

The event will be aired live on ABS-CBN’s Studio 23, as well as on ESPN-Star Sports, which will broadcast a total of 40 hours of match coverage to 40 countries.

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