Our girls slip at the lanes to settle for bronze as Singapore take gold
PETALINGJAYA: It’s deja vu for the Malaysian bowlers.
In Manila two years ago, Malaysia suffered a late meltdown and were pipped by Singapore to the girls’ team gold at the Asian Youth Championships.
And at this year’s edition in Sarawak, Gillian Lim, Nur Syazwani Sahar, Nurul Ayunni Junaidi and Nurul Alyssa Junaidi squandered a massive 243-pin lead to settle for the bronze medal behind winners Singapore and South Korea at the Sarawak Megalanes in Kuching yesterday.
Malaysia, who set the pace in the first block with a 12-game total of 2,518, were still ahead of Singapore by 120 pins after the fourth round and 60 pins in the fifth round.
But the quartet could only close with a dismal 629 for a 4,617 total as Singapore’s Charmaine Chang, Amabel Chua, Jermaine Seah, and Charlene successfully defended their gold with a 4,664 total.
Jermaine, Amabel and Charlene were in the team that pulled off the come-from-behind win in Manila.
South Korea also charged up the leaderboard to deny Malaysia from claiming their third consecutive silver with a 4,628 total.
The gold remains elusive for Malaysia since Zandra Aziela Ibrahim Hakimi, Zatil Iman Abdul Ghani, Siti Safiyah Amirah Abdul Rahman and Esther Cheah triumphed in Manila in 2006.
Team manager Robert Lu was lost for words.
“We failed to ride on the momentum we built overnight, but you got to give the Singapore girls credit.
“They were clearly the better team as they staged a fantastic fightback, just as they did in Manila.
“Experience counts as they still have the three members from the previous winning team.”
The boys’ team of Nevern Nataneel Marcellinus, Shahrukh Amin Zulkifli, Syazirol Shamsuddin and Hafiz Zainuddin failed to impress as they finished empty-handed.
Starting the day just 58 pins off the pace, they could only muster a 4,780 total to slip from their overnight position of second to fifth.
Brandon Ong, Eugene Yeo, Xavier Teo and Jomond Chia completed a grand double for Singapore with a 5,123 total – 127 pins clear of second-placed the Philippines.
Overnight leaders South Korea had to be content with third spot on 4,979.
Malaysia also added two more silvers courtesy of second place finishes by Hafiz and Gillian in the boys and girls’ All-Events.