Closing in on circle of gold
Esther returns to the Philippines aiming to deliver gold once again
SEASONED campaigner Esther Cheah is set to come full circle in the SEA Games.
The 33-year-old bowler made her debut in the biennial Games when the Philippines last played host in 2005.
It was an unforgettable debut as Esther made a swift impact, anchoring Malaysia to glory in the team event, beating the fancied home side.
She also won bronze in the trios with Zandra Aziela Ibrahim Hakimi and Wendy Choo.
Fourteen years later, Esther is still going strong and as hungry as ever.
“I’m really excited and looking forward to returning to the Philippines for my second SEA Games appearance there, although it’s not the same venue,” said Esther.
“It’s going to be extra special for sure, to be able to complete a full circle. Not many athletes would have lasted this long.
“The fire and passion to win for the country is still there no matter how long one has been in the sport. Being able to contribute to the medal tally, be it a gold or bronze, is just very gratifying.”
Esther has contributed quite a bit having won eight golds, including four from team events, one silver and two bronzes in her four SEA Games outings.
It could have been five if not for a foot injury she sustained after falling from the team bus during the 2011 Games in Indonesia. Although named to the team, she played no part in the Games.
“Except for the freak accident in 2011, every Games has been a memorable one for me. I have not returned with at least a gold since 2005 and I’m aiming to keep that record intact.
“Again, the ultimate target is the team event. Competing in a multi-sport event is always different and feels more important than competing in Open tournaments because it’s no longer about personal glory.”
Recounting her fond memories of Manila 2005, Esther explained why the team gold matters so much to her.
“It was super awesome back then because there were only two seniors, KN (Lai Kin Ngoh) and Wendy in the team while the rest of us (including Zandra and Siti Safiyah Amirah Abdul Rahman) were making our debut.
“Hats off to KN and Wendy for pulling the team together because we weren’t bowling that well in the beginning.
“But they really encouraged us all the way to gold. That first gold was precious. I never knew the significance of winning a team gold until then. I really cherish all my team gold medals.
“We won both the women’s and men’s team event that year. So it was doubly sweet.”
Just like in 2005, Esther is shaping up nicely for this year’s Games.
She enjoyed a superb Asian Tenpin Bowling Championships (ATBC) in Kuwait several weeks back, winning the trios and Masters gold.
It brought back memories of 2005 when she claimed the singles gold at the 2005 Women’s World Championships in Aalborg, Denmark, few months before her debut in Manila.
The chances of a team gold remain very bright as the four-woman squad looks formidable with veteran Shalin Zulkifli, Sin Li Jane and Siti Safiyah also in.
Rafiq Ismail, Ahmad Muaz Fishol, Timmy Tan and Tun Ameerul Hakim Tun Hasnul Azam will carry the nation’s challenge in the men’s competition.
The trios will not be contested this time and only nine golds are up for grabs this time, two fewer than in Kuala Lumpur 2017.
Still, it has not stopped Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress (MTBC) from aiming big. They have their sights on at least four gold medals.
Malaysian keglers have dominated the sport in the region for almost two decades, emerging as overall champions in seven of the last eight editions since the 1997 Jakarta Games.
Malaysia ruled the 1997 edition with a haul of five golds, five silver and six bronzes, followed by a record-breaking 7-6-2 tally in Brunei (1999); 7-4-5 in Kuala Lumpur (2001); 3-3-3 in Manila (2005), 4-3-6 in Korat, Thailand (2007); 5-3-6 in Jakarta (2011); 5-1-4 in Singapore (2015); and 7-4-3 in Kuala Lumpur. Bowling was not contested in Vietnam in 2003, Laos 2009 and Myanmar 2013.