Showcase of new talent at Interstate Championships

Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Confederation (MTBC) are looking forward to the emergence of new bowlers at the Interstate Championships that starts today in Bandar Sunway.

This comes after MTBC confirmed that national bowlers bound for the World Youth Championships in Detroit (July 23-Aug 4) and the Indonesia Asian Games (Aug 18-27) will not compete in this year's edition.

The 12 bowlers likely to play in the Asian Games are Adrian Ang, Alex Liew, Ahmad Muaz Fishol, Rafiq Ismail, Timmy Tan, Syafiq Ridhwan Abdul Malek, Shalin Zulkifli, Sin Li Jane, Esther Cheah, Natasha Roslan, Siti Safiyah Amirah Abdul Rahman and Syaidatul Afifah Badrul Hamidi.

The eight world youth bowlers are Tun Hakim Tun Hasnul Azam, Brandon Ting, Shahrukh Amin, Nur Syazwani Sahar, Gillian Lim, Nur Amirah Auni Azman, Nur Ameera Husna Aznel and Rafiq.

“This year, we will have all 15 (including Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya) affiliates featuring in the Interstate event,” said MTBC secretary Maradona Chok on Sunday.

“The Asian Games and world youth bowlers are not competing this year as the interstate competition clashes with their training.

“It will still be interesting in the interstate event as teams will be fielding some new faces and also former national bowlers.

Last year, Selangor came out tops, winning seven out of 16 gold medals.

All podium bowlers, except for Rafiq, however, will play in the National Championship on Saturday.