ESTHER TRIUMPHS IN ABF TOUR’S LEG IN INDONESIA
Esther bags her third title of the season in Indonesia
PETALING JAYA: Esther Cheah is on a roll.
The 30-year-old clinched her third victory of the season by capturing the Indonesian leg of the Asian Bowling Federation (ABF) Tour at the Ancol Bowl in Jakarta yesterday.
Esther proved too hot for Nur Syazwani Sahar, scoring a 256-164 win in an all-Malaysian final to pocket US$1,000 (RM4,200).
Esther started her hot streak by winning the Hong Kong Open in July. It was her first title in three years.
She then added another crown, teaming up with Sin Li Jane to win the women’s doubles gold at the Asian Championships, also in Hong Kong, last month.
“It feels great to be able to add an ABF Tour win to my trophy cabinet as I have not won it before,” said Esther, whose career highlight was winning the singles gold at the 2005 World Championships in Denmark.
“It’s been a good year so far. I’m slowly getting back my rhythm after a series of (forearm and foot) injuries. But there’s still plenty of work to do to improve my game.”
Esther is the third Malaysian to win the Tour’s Indonesian leg after Lai Kin Ngoh (2005 and 2007) and Hee Kar Yen (2011).
For Nur Syazwani, it was still a memorable outing after finishing 10th at the Indonesian Open on Sunday.
She turned in a fine performance yesterday to oust defending champion Nadia Pramanik of Indonesia and compatriots Shalin Zulkifli and Sin Li Jane on the way to the final.
“I struggled with the oiling pattern in the final. I tried hard to make adjustments but ended up worse off,” Syazwani said.
“Still, I couldn’t have asked for a better week in Jakarta. I hope to build on these results and get better and better in the future.”
In the men’s event, Ahmad Muaz Fishol and Syafiq Ridhwan Abdul Malek were the only Malaysians to reach the semi-finals.
Muaz, the Indonesian Open champion, lost 210-224 to Singaporean Remy Ong while Syafiq, the 2012 World Cup winner, narrowly lost 235-236 to Kim Bolleby of Thailand.
Remy went on to beat Bolleby 257-210 to emerge champion.