Eyes on the prize
Bowler Rafiq out to make amends in Munich
PETALING JAYA: Rafiq Ismail has underlined his European title ambition as he led a strong 11-member Malaysian contingent in making their presence felt in the ongoing qualifying rounds of the Brunswick Euro Challenge (BEC) in Munich, Germany.
The 20-year-old chalked up an impressive six-game total of 1,408 pinfalls to be placed seventh out of 143 competitors after the second day of the Platinum-rated European Bowling Tour (EBT) event yesterday.
Malaysia’s Asian Games rivals Annop Arromsaranon, Surasak Manuwong and last year’s runner-up Yannaphon Larpapharat of Thailand, were also in their element as they dominated the top three position by posting 1,525, 1,465 and 1,439 respectively.
Syafiq Ridhwan Abdul Malek, the 2012 World Cup champion, also got off to a decent start by amassing 1,399 pinfalls for 10th spot while Sin Li Jane was 12th on a 1,388 total in the €105,000 (RM505,000) mixed-gender championship.
Women participants receive an eight-pin handicap per game.
The current standings is bound to change daily as bowlers make multiple attempts in bids to register their best six-game efforts before the top 64 cut is made on Saturday for the tournament proper on Sunday.
The top 12 will qualify directly for the second stage.
As it stands, the other nine Malaysians are also on course to make the cut with Esther Cheah, who sits 19th after knocking down 1,358 pinfalls, followed by Ahmad Muaz Fishol (1,355, 21st), Timmy Tan (1,340, 26th), Siti Safiyah Amirah Abdul Rahman (1,340, 27th), Adrian Ang (1,291, 32nd), Shalin Zulkifli (1,280, 34th), Natasha Roslan (1,270, 42nd) and Alex Liew (1,246, 49th).
Rafiq is seeking to make amends in the national team’s third assignment of the year after his previous visit to Europe in January ended with a double heartbreak.
Rafiq missed out on two title playoffs by a whisker at the AIK International Tournament in Stockholm, Sweden, and the Brunswick Ballmaster Open (BBO) in Helsinki, Finland.
Rafiq finished fourth in Sweden and fifth in Finland.
Li Jane, meanwhile, will aim to make it two wins in a row having emerged triumphant at the BBO. It was her third EBT crown, making her the most successful Malaysian on the European circuit.