A big bow to Shalin
Honest bowler admits to discrepancies and is disqualified
PETALING JAYA: Veteran bowler Shalin Zulkifli has been disqualified from the US Women’s Open but she won the hearts of many for her honesty.
Shalin displayed true sportsmanship by informing the organisers that she had used a ball which did not meet the specification and that saw her being immediately disqualified on Thursday.
The 40-year-old had drilled one fewer hole on the ball used. She only knew of the breach after the matchplay competition began.
Shalin lost seven out of her eight matches to finish last in the 24-woman standings.
Shalin was too distraught to speak about her disqualification although she knew that she did the right thing.
Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress (MTBC) secretary-general Maradona Chok said Shalin wasn’t at fault and commended the five-time National Sportswoman of the Year for her exemplary act.
“The ball driller was rushing through while drilling balls for all the participants and he missed putting in an extra hole (meant to give better ball balance). The ball was passed to Shalin when the matchplay started,” said Maradona.
“Shalin did what was right despite the fact it was not her fault to begin with. And she reported the infringement (number of holes on the ball) to the tournament director who respected Shalin for her honesty and integrity.
“The rules, however, states that disqualification is the penalty for such infringement. Shalin showed that she is a world-class athlete with the highest level of integrity.”
With Shalin’s abrupt exit, Siti Safiyah Amirah Abdul Rahman and Sin Li Jane are the only bowlers left to carry the nation’s challenge in the tournament.
Siti Safiyah won five matches and amassed 8,724 pinfalls after 40 games to be placed ninth while Li Jane, boosted by four wins, managed 8,536 pinfalls to sit at 20th.
Another 16 games will be played before the top five enter the stepladder finals. A 30-pin bonus is awarded for every match won.
American Erin McCarthy topped the standings with a 9,025 total, followed by Mexico’s Sandra Gongora (8,950), USA’s Danielle McEwan (8,928), Indonesia’s Tannya Roumimper (8,857) and USA’s Shannon O’Keefe (8,831).