On tenterhooks as Rafiq has to wait for other results to know if he makes medal roll-off place
PETALING JAYA: National bowler Rafiq Ismail (pic) faces an anxious wait to see if he has done enough to at least secure Malaysia’s first medal in eight years at the Men’s World Championships in Hong Kong.
The 21-year-old Asian Games gold medallist racked up a decent six-game total of 1,361 pinfalls in Squad 1 to place third in the 136man standings after the completion of two squads yesterday.
His Squad 1 rival — American Andrew Anderson — lived up to his reputation as the recently crowned US PBA Tour Player of the Year by topping the contest with a sizzling 1,473 total, powered by a perfect game in the fourth game.
Fellow PBA Tour star Kyle Troup made it a 1-2 finish for the United States after posting 1,368 in the Squad 2 to take the second spot, while Finland’s Niko Oksanen had 1,310 to round up the top four standings.
Timmy Tan, the 2016 Asian Championships singles champion, came in 10th overall after amassing 1,280 pinfalls.
The top four qualifiers will advance into the one-game elimination playoffs which will be held on Saturday, assuring them of a bronze.
The top four positions are bound to change as the remaining 129 players, including Malaysia’s Alex Liew, Syafiq Ridhwan Abdul Malek, Adrian Ang and Tun Hakim Tun Hasnul Azam, will be in action in Squad 3 and Squad 4 today.
Rafiq is keeping his fingers crossed that he can make the cut.
“My aim was to hit a 1,500 series, but I could only manage 1,361 and I know it might not be enough (to finish in the top four),” said Rafiq, who posted lines of 211-212-214-264213-247.
“The lanes were not easy to deal with. I had too many splits today. Except Andrew, I don’t think there’s anyone who felt more comfortable. Kyle pipped me to the second place by just seven pins!
“Frankly, I don’t think I would be able make it. Half of the field have not played yet, that’s more than a hundred players. But there’s nothing I can do now except to hope for the best. Never say never.
“If it’s not me, hopefully one of our four other team-mates, who have yet to play, will get in. It will be great to start the campaign with at least a medal in hand.”
Malaysia’s last medal in the meet came from Alex and Muhd Nur Aiman Khairuddin when they claimed the doubles silver in the 2010 Munich edition in Germany.