Sarawak International Open gets underway
KUCHING: Malaysia head coach Holloway Cheah is more keen on promoting the sport and supporting the tournament than setting any target for the national bowlers in the Sarawak International Open Tenpin Bowling Championship that got underway at Megalanes Sarawak Batu Kawa yesterday.
SEA Games gold medallists are among the national bowlers including Shalin Zulkifli, Esther Cheah, Syaidatul Afifah, Rafiq Ismail, Adrian Ang, Alex Liew and Syafiq Ridhwan.
“No, I am not setting any target for them. We are here to support the local tournament and at the same time promote the game in Sarawak,” he told reporters at Megalanes Sarawak yesterday.
Cheah was happy to see the good response with many youth bowlers from Sarawak and other countries taking part in the tournament.
“Sarawak is one of the main states that produces good bowlers because it has a very good youth development programme under the good leadership of Abas president Sunny Si, vice president Robert Lu and head coach Jackson Ting and others,” added Cheah.
He advised the state junior bowlers to train more and compete in more tournaments to gain vital exposure.
“Sarawak needs to organise
No, I am not setting any target for them. We are here to support the local tournament and at the same time promote the game in Sarawak. Holloway Cheah, Malaysia head coach
more tournaments like this so that the local bowlers can compete with their counterparts from outside,” said Cheah who was very impressed with the facilities at Megalanes Sarawak.
“This centre is of world class and the environment is so wonderful,” he said.
Mor e than 2 2 0 b owle r s representing nine countries are blazing the lanes here for the total prize money of RM86,850 in the four- day meet.
Other notable bowlers in the field includes Ryan Lalisang from Indonesia, Tomokatsu Yamashita from Japan, Singapore’s Tracy See and Geraldine Ng.
The Malaysian youth team and Sarawak’s very own Sukma athletes Christopher Tiong, Ervin Lim, Musayyar Khalid, Abang Afiq Yazid, Mohd Uzair, Gillian Lim, Nerosha Keligit and Jocelyna Judith Jonathan are out to give their more illustrious competitors a run for the money.
The 1st Block of eight games started with Squad A at 8: 30am, followed by Squad B at 1: 30pm and Squad C at 6: 30 pm while the 2nd Block will continue today at the same time.
The Masters finals for Classified and Youth Divisions will start on Friday ( Sept 8) while the Open Division Masters Finals will commence on Saturday.