Shalin and Co in line for second podium finish in Las Vegas

PETALING JAYA: Veteran bowler Shalin Zulkifli is hungry for more success at the World Championships in the United States.

After claiming the doubles silver with Sin Li Jane on Tuesday for the seventh world meet medal of her career, the 39-year-old former World Bowler of the Year impressed again on Wednesday.

She knocked down a brilliant three-game total of 680 pinfalls (258-222-200) in the first block of the trios event at the South Point Bowling Centre in Las Vegas.

Shalin’s efforts – the third highest of the day – and that of Li Jane’s 591 and Esther Cheah’s 598 gave them a 1,189 total for seventh placing and put Malaysia in line for a second podium finish in as many women’s events at the championships.

The trio, also the SEA Games champions in the event, are just 24 pins behind the top-four cut for the medal round.

Malaysia’s second combination of Syaidatul Afifah Badrul Hamidi, Natasha Roslan and Siti Safiyah Amirah Abdul Rahman also stayed close to the leading pack when they rolled down a 1,877 total for sixth place.

Indonesia (1963), the United States (1910), Germany (1904) and Singapore (1893) were the top four finishers at the halfway stage.

Malaysia have only won medal in the women’s trios – a bronze through Shalin, Lisa Kwan and Shirley Chow in 1995, also in Las Vegas.

The Malaysian men, however, will need a Herculean effort to get their first podium finish of the campaign.

Adrian Ang, Ahmad Muaz Fishol and Timmy Tan could only knock down 1,857 pins for 13th spot – 62 behind the leading four – Japan (2018), South Korea (1957), Sweden (1946) and Germany (1919).

The trio of Alex Liew, Rafiq Ismail and Syafiq Ridhwan Abdul Malek fared worse, posting 1,750 pinfalls to be in 39th spot.

The pressure is really mounting on the men’s team after firing blanks in the singles and doubles events.

The men and women’s trios semi-finals and finals will be held together with the team-of-five finals on Sunday.