So pin-ful for Li Jane as she misses world title by a whisker
PETALING JAYA: Two pins. That’s how agonisingly close bowler Sin Li Jane was from creating history as the first Malaysian woman’s champion in the prestigious QubicaAMF World Cup in Las Vegas, the United States.
Just after Siti Safiyah Amirah Abdul Rahman missed out on last year’s title in Mexico by a whisker, Li Jane too faltered in the last hurdle when she lost 236-238 to American Shannon O’Keefe at the Sam’s Town Bowling Centre on Saturday.
The one-game decider went down to the wire as Li Jane needed to strike her final frame that would give her a one-pin victory over O’Keefe.
But the Malaysian could only knock down seven pins to settle for the runner-up spot, equalling her previous feat in Wroclaw, Poland, in 2014.
“So near, yet so far once more. It just wasn’t meant to be,” lamented Li Jane.
“It’s definitely still a great outing to have come in second at the World Cup, regarded as one of the hardest tournaments to win because you have to be really consistent from your first to last throw as the pinfalls are carried forward.
“Runner-up is not bad, but it’s becoming champion that is more fulfilling.
“I was fifth in my debut in 2012 and twice runner-up now. I’m going to keep trying until I succeed one day!” vowed Li Jane.
Li Jane reached the final by ousting Maria Rodriguez of Colombia 207- 166 in the semi-finals.
Syafiq Ridhwan Abdul Malek clinched the country’s first-ever victory when he captured the men’s crown in 2012.
No Malaysian woman, however, has ever won the World Cup.
Besides Li Jane and Siti Safiyah, Shalin Zulkifli was the other Malaysian who come came really close to winning it when she came in second in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 1996.
Earlier, Li Jane made the top-four cut for title playoffs in third place after amassing a grand total of 8,548 pinfalls over 40 games.
Nadia Pramanik of Indonesia topped the four-day roll-offs with 8,610, just five pins ahead of second-placed Rodriguez while O’Keefe came in fourth to seize the last berth on offer.
O’Keefe outclassed Nadia 247-202 in the other last-four clash.
With the win, O’Keefe has become the eighth American women’s champion in the tournament’s 54-year history.
The men’s honour went to Sam Cooley of Australia, who became only the second Australian men’s champion, emulating Jason Belmonte’s triumph in 2011.
He defeated Kyle Troup 244-163 to deny the Americans from becoming the first nation to complete grand double in 32 years.
Peter Ljung and Anette Hagre were the last to accomplish the feat when they swept the men and women’s crowns for Sweden in 1986.