Newly minted billiards champion Chezka Centeno dedicated her victory to the Philippines.
Centeno was crowned as the new WPA (World Pool-Billiard Association) Women’s 10-ball champion after defeating China’s Yu Han on Monday, October 23.
Centeno, who hails from Zamboanga City, defeated Yu, a three-time world 9-ball champion and considered a “mammoth” in the world pools, in the finals match in Klagenfurt, Austria.
After she won, the 24-year-old athlete was in tears as she expressed that this has been her “dream.”
“It was my dream to be world champion,” Centeno was quoted in a report as saying.
READ: Centeno new queen of 10-Ball
She also shared this milestone with her followers on Instagram. Here, Centeno dedicated the championship to the Filipino people supported her throughout the competition.
“God has made everything beautiful in its time. I can’t believe I’m typing these words, but I am the Women’s World 10-Ball Champion! This is truly a dream come true moment for me,” Centeno said.
“This win is not just mine; it’s all of ours. Thank you, everyone, from the bottom of my heart,” she added.
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In a separate Instagram post, Centeno briefly reminisced about her journey in the sport.
“I can hardly believe it. I am your new Women’s World 10-Ball Champion! This journey started when I was a 5-year-old with a dream, and today, I’m living it,” the young champion said.
“It’s a surreal moment that brings back memories of countless hours of hard work, tears, and disappointments. They are all worth it,” she also said.
Centeno also expressed pride in representing her hometown Zamboanga City and the Philippines.
“I’ll always be proud to represent my hometown, Zamboanga City, and, of course, my beloved country, the Philippines,” she wrote.
Centeno also thanked her loved ones, her sponsor and the Philippine Sports Commission for their “invaluable support.”
Filipinos later trooped to her social media posts and congratulated her.
“Congratulations!! Thank you for bringing honor to our country! We are proud of youu!” an Instagram user said.
“Congrats world champ!” another Filipino commented.
“Congratulations Chezka Centeno you are the best. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas,” a Facebook user also said.
Centeno, one of the youngest players in the sport, has brought home multiple awards in the past. These include four gold medals from the Southeast Asian Games.
Her latest, meanwhile, was also seen as a form of revenge for her mentor Rubilen Amit, whom Yu eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Amit was a Filipina world champion in the WPA 10-Ball in 2009.
