By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
A few months ago, Chezka Centeno’s world came crashing down after the death of her mother, Josephine.
Centeno did not sulk. Instead, she showed the heart of a champion, turning grief into glory with her masterful strokes in winning the 2026 Oneida WPA Women’s World 8-Ball Championship title on Sunday, July 26, Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Fittingly, the 27-year-old Zamboanga City pride achieved the feat against former world No. 1 and multiple world champion Kelly Fisher of Great Britain after pulling off a 9-6 win – her first world 8-ball crown.
The victory was another glittering addition to Centeno’s growing trophy collection, adding the world 8-ball crown to the world 10-ball titles she won in 2023 and 2025.
The win erased the stigma of last year’s runner-up finish by ousting defending champion Jasmin Ouschan in the Last 16, 8-4.
But beyond redemption and another world title, the triumph carried a far deeper meaning as Centeno found some measure of healing on the championship stage.
Moments after sealing one of the biggest victories of her career, Centeno dedicated the title to her late mother in an emotional speech and even later on paid tribute in a social media post.
“Ma, I did it! Para sa’yo ’to!” Centeno wrote in one post, alongside a photo of herself proudly displaying her gold medal.
In another post, she shared an old photo from one of her visits to her mother’s grave.
“Ma. World 8-Ball champion tayo, Ma. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Ma. I love you,” she wrote.
A few hours after her title win, Centeno edged Chinese Taipei’s Wi Tzu-Chien, 8-6. Her previous triumphs also came at the expense of teammate and good friend Rubilen Amit in the quarterfinals, 8-6.
