MUAZ AND ZULMAZRAN AZRAN BAG MEN’S DOUBLES GOLD
Bowler rebounds with doubles gold
SUBANG JAYA: You can’t keep Selangor bowler Ahmad Muaz Fishol (pic) down for long.
Just one day after surrendering his singles crown to Johor’s Muhd Nur Aiman Khairuddin, the 23-year-old Muaz combined with Zulmazran Zulkifli to win the doubles title in the 30th Inter-State Bowling Championships at Sunway Mega Lanes yesterday.
Muaz knocked down 1,414 pins to average an impressive 235.67.
Recently-crowned Thailand Open champion Zulmazran chipped in with 1,203 pinfalls for the pair’s 12-game total of 2,617 pinfalls.
They finished 31 pins ahead of Nur Aiman and Mohd Haziq Sahli.
Nur Aiman continued with his red-hot form, striking the tournament’s first perfect 300 in the fourth game en route to a sizzling 1,410. But former national youth bowler Haziq was a letdown – managing only 1,176.
Negri Sembilan’s Shamsul Riza Sahar-Mohd Fadli Ramli posted 2,568 pins for third spot.
Muaz was pleased to bag only his second gold in the championships.
“Glad that my consistent performance was rewarded with a victory today,” said Muaz.
“I didn’t do too badly yesterday, except for a costly slow start ... I was disappointed that I failed to retain the gold.
“Aiman played so well again today. Fortunately, I had the luxury of teaming up with the experienced Zulmazran and we both played solid to deny Johor their second title in as many days.”
Muaz and Nur Aiman are set to take their individual battle into the final day with two titles still at stake – team and All-Events.
Muaz trails Nur Aiman, the All-Events leader with 2,798 pinfalls, by just 17 pins in a twohorse race following the completion of the singles and doubles events. Third-placed Fadli is 154 pins off the pace. “It may be just an Inter-State Championships, but Aiman and I are aware of the importance of putting on a good show,” Muaz stressed.
“We are the only two non-Podium Programme members (in the national team), so we have to step up our efforts to earn our places in the (six-man) SEA Games squad.”
Selangor also won the women’s doubles title through Shalin Zulkifli and Natasha Roslan when the singles gold and silver medallists posted a combined 2,723 total.
Siti Safiyah Amirah Abdul Rahman-Victoria Chin made it a 1-2 finish for Selangor by chalking up 2,641 pinfalls while 2015 champions Sin Li Jane-Syaidatul Afifah Badrul Hamidi settled for bronze with 2,477 pinfalls.
Wan Mohd Naqib Norazizan and Mohd Azizi Naim then bagged Selangor’s fifth gold in the campaign by triumphing in the boys’ doubles.
The girls’ doubles title went to sisters Nurul Ayunni Junaidi and Nurul Alyssa Junaidi as they picked up the first gold for Sabah.