Malaysian keglers must step up to continue quest for gold in HK

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian keglers will have to produce something extraordinary if they want to keep their golden run going at the Asian Tenpin Bowling Championships (ATBC) in Hong Kong.

In the men and women’s trios yesterday, none of the Malaysian combinations were able to place themselves in the top three at the halfway stage.

Nur Syazwani Sahar (pic), Victoria Chin and Shalin Zulkifli were the best Malaysian performers after registering 1,860 pinfalls in the first block of nine games to end the day in fifth spot.

They trail leaders Liza Del Rosario, Lara Posadas and Liza Crutario of the Philippines (1,960) by 100 pins.

Japan’s Mirai Ishimoto, Shion Izumune and Haruna Nojima (1943 pinfalls) are second and Australians Dena Buxton, Kate Pilkington and Rebecca Voukolos (1922 pinfalls) are third.

Women’s doubles gold medallists Esther Cheah and Sin Li Jane had mixed fortunes in the trios event, together with Syaidatul Afifah Badrul Hamidi.

While Esther continued to impress with 671 pinfalls, Li Jane and Syaidatul could only manage 578 and 589 for a combined 1,838 to be in eighth spot out of 20 teams.

The men’s competition saw a more tightly contested affair, with Muhd Nur Aiman Khairuddin, Rafiq Ismail and Zulmazran Zulkifli just 83 pins off the pace despite amassing 1,876 pinfalls for ninth spot.

South Korea’s Park Jong-woo, Cha In-ho and Ka Soo-hyeong top the 43-team standings with 1,959 pinfalls to lead by 14 pins from Hong Kong (1945), whose team comprise Lau Kwun Ho and doubles winners Wu Siu Hong and Michael Mak.

Enzo Hernandez, Kevin Oliver and Kenneth Chua of the Philippines are third on 1,930 pinfalls.

Singles champion Timmy Tan, Adrian Ang and Syafiq Ridhwan Abdul Malek struggled to a 1,782 for 18th place.

Apart from the two golds won by Timmy and Li Jane-Esther, Malaysia have also bagged a silver and a bronze in the men’s doubles through Timmy-Adrian and RafiqSyafiq.