Amit repeats as best athlete in SAC-SMB Cebu Sports Awards

CEBU, Philippines – Double World Champion Cebuana pool player, Rubilen Amit, was honored as the Athlete of the Year for the second time in the 32nd edition of the Sportswriters Association of Cebu (SAC)-San Miguel Brewery, Inc. (SMB) Cebu Sports Awards at the Activity Center of Ayala Mall Cebu on Wednesday, March 26.

Amit recently won two world titles in 2013, the Women’s Ten Ball World title and the Mixed Doubles World title with living legend Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes,  and a gold medal in the Southeast Asian (SEA) games, which led her to loom in the field of Cebu athletes.

Amit, when she first won the World 10 Ball title, was also chosen as Athlete of the Year during the 28^th staging of the event. 

Aside from being the first female World Pool Champion, she was also the first athlete who became a recipient of the same major award in the history of SAC-SMB Cebu Sports Awards.

Aside from Amit, Frank Gatdula also received the Orlacsan Award for his contribution to cycling, and taekwondo coach Glenn Lava received the Presidential Award for helping Cebu win two world titles in taekwondo.

Here is the list of the Cebuano athletes who received major awards:

Athletics – Julius Nierras

Basketball – Andres Paul Desiderio, Arnie Christian Padilla and June Mar Fajardo

Billiards – Rubilen Amit

Bowling – Kim Lao

Boxing – Donnie Nietes, Johnriel Casimero and Merlito Sabillo

Dance Sport – Pearl Caneda and Wilbert Aunzo

Football – Don Bosco Technology Center and PAREF Springdale School

Golf – Cebu Country Club

Judo – Kiyomi Sarausad Watanabe

Running – Mary Grace de los Santos and Mary Joy Tabal

Sepak Takraw – Rhey Jay Ortouste

Taekwondo – Glenn Lava, Mikaela Calamba and Rinna Babanto

Tennis – Arthur Craig Pantino, Jan Godfrey Seno and Johnny Arcilla

Triathlon – Joseph Miller, Justin Liam Chiongbian and Fredric Albert Yuan Chiongbian 

Meanwhile, Veteran sports analyst Quinito Henson praised the awardees in the Cebu sports field and said they deserve not only recognition in Cebu but nationwide.

“Athletes of the Cebu are world class. I feel the entire country should be aware of how good Cebu athletes are,” he said.

SAC, is an independent organization which consists of sports columnists, writers and editors in Cebu, is called “The Oscars” of Cebu sports, who gathered all the Cebuano best athletes in the whole world, and honor the year’s top sports performers. – Rappler.com