Rafiq aims for top spot after finishing second best

KUALA LUMPUR: Being Asia’s No. 2 bowler is just not good enough for Rafiq Ismail.

The top award went to Taiwan’s Wu Haoming.

And the 20yearold Rafiq has vowed to rule the region next year.

“I’ll be ending the year with just one disappointment – my failure to become Asia’s top bowler,” lamented Rafiq.

“I’ve been chasing this honour for the last two years. I could have been the No. 1 if only I had won a medal at theWorld Championships.”

Rafiq and the men’s team came home emptyhanded at the world meet in Las Vegas last week.

“There will be more opportunities next year and I hope to accomplish my mission then,” he said.

“Other than that, it has been a good year for me. The most memorable is winning three golds at the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games (in August). It’s nice to strike it right at home,” he said.

This year, Rafiq also won the Singapore Open and finished second in the Thailand Open.

He also ventured into new territories when he rolled at the Professional Bowling Association (PBA) Tour in United States for two weeks last month.

He was also the only Malaysian to qualify for the PBA World Championship but lost to Australia’s Jason Belmonte in the opening round.

“It has been one of the most busiest year for me but fortunately, I coped well. I gained a lot of experience playing with the pros in the US.”

Rafiq has one more tournament left this year.

He will be heading to South Korea for the PBA’s Storm Cup from Dec 1721 with Timmy Tan, Shalin Zulkifli, Siti Safiyah Amirah Abdul Rahman and Sin Li Jane.

“I’ve still some energy left in me to give another good showing. It’s an invitational tournament with the pros and I hope to end the year by winning the title,” added Rafiq.