Smart Omega Empress will represent the Philippines in the biggest women’s tournament in the esports scene as they vie for the MLBB Women’s Invitational 2024 title in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia slated to open on July 24.
They demonstrated their prowess with dominating wins en route to clinching the MLBB Women’s Invitational (MWI) – Philippine qualifiers that earned them their ticket to the Esports World Cup.
In addition to their success at the MWI qualifiers, Smart Omega Empress also excelled in the Sibol qualifiers, earning them the right to represent the country in the IESF World Championship Southeast Asia qualifiers.
There, they narrowly missed a finals slot after suffering from a 2-1 reverse sweep at the hands of Cambodia in the semi-finals.
The team, composed entirely of Cebu-based players Kaye Maerylle “Keishi” Alpuerto (jungler), Rica Fatima “Amoree” Amores (midlaner), Sheen “Shinoa” Perez (goldlaner), and Mery Christine “Meraaay” Vivero (roamer), continues to embody excellence in esports as evidenced by their continuous success in various MLBB female tournaments locally and abroad.
The achievements of Smart Omega Empress reflect Smart’s commitment to promoting women empowerment in esports, a field traditionally dominated by men.
Louie Patrick Cruz, Chief Operating Officer of Smart Omega, emphasized the importance of this victory for the women’s esports community.
“This championship is about women empowerment,” Cruz stated. “When we started in esports, it was mainly the male divisions that were featured. Now, the time has come for women to rise and show that they too have a place in esports.”
Cruz also highlighted Smart’s dedication to community-building and promoting responsible gaming among esports athletes.
“Smart’s support goes beyond just competing; it’s about developing people and promoting education alongside esports,” he added.
Expressing gratitude towards the leadership at Smart, Cruz thanked key figures for their unwavering support. “We are grateful to our bosses, including Mr. Manny Pangilinan, Sir Ricky Vargas, Ms. Kristine Go, and Sir Jude Turcuato. Their support at the executive level has been instrumental in our success.”
Froi Endaya, Omega’s Chief Marketing Officer, reiterated his support for women in esports, stating, “There’s so much potential in the esports landscape for females. I believe our female players can compete with the best male MLBB players in the world. This vision drives us to push boundaries and achieve greatness.”
Smart Omega Empress, silver medalists at the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia last year, dominated the qualifiers with a 2-0 sweep of ONIC Zol in the semi-finals and a 3-0 victory over TNC Z4 in the finals.
Head Coach Salman “KingSalman” Macarambon attributed their success to the team’s discipline and focus.
The MWI 2024 will feature 12 female MLBB teams from around the globe, competing for a share of the USD 500,000 prize pool, the largest ever in the female MLBB scene.
Gwen “not ayanami” Diagon, the team’s standout exp laner, dedicated their victory to her family, friends, and the Smart Omega organization.
“This win is for my family, friends, and myself. I want to prove that we can compete on the big stage as a team and as individual players,” she said.
Smart Omega Empress has had a remarkable run, winning the Unipin Ladies Championship Philippines Season 2, Female Pro League Season 7, and RMC Women’s League titles in 2023. They aim to continue their dominance on the international stage this year.
