Chezka Centeno has revealed that she was experiencing a slump in confidence before winning the Women’s World 10-Ball Championship for the second time in three years in Indonesia.
Centeno, who had defeated Han Yu to win the prestigious title for the first time in Austria, overcame her Filipina compatriot Rubilen Amit in a five-set epic to follow in her footsteps and become a two-time women’s world 10-ball champion.
A pivotal scratch off her break in the deciding set proved particularly costly for Amit as Centeno capitalised to seal the $50,000 top prize, restoring her confidence following a tricky period.
“For the past four months, I’ve been competing non-stop, reaching three finals and falling short in two,” Centeno said on social media. “I kept telling myself it was okay, that life goes on, but deep inside, the fire started to fade.
“I began doubting myself and feeling anxious. I lost confidence, my mind would go blank during matches, and I would lose early. It was one of the toughest stretches of my career, a quiet battle within myself.
“When I flew to Bali, I was filled with uncertainty. After losing my second match, I even thought about giving up. But God showed himself to me and reminded me to keep going and trust him. The next day, I woke up feeling light and at peace, as if God had restored my confidence and spirit.
“This victory is one of the miracles of my life. I wasn’t at my best, but he prepared me for this moment. I’m still in awe of how it all unfolded, and I know without a doubt it was all him. God is good and faithful.
“It is a great honour to bring another title back home to the Philippines. I wish for women’s pool to grow bigger and for women athletes to be more recognised.”
Centeno had relinquished her crown following a semi-final loss to Kristina Tkach last year in Puerto Rico, although she avenged the defeat and also beat the likes of Liu Shasha and Wang Wan-Ling to seal the title.
