27th November, Tamuning: Daegu retained the Shinzo Sato Cup by emerging as overall champion of the 23rd Asian Intercity Bowling Championship after Choi Suk Byung ended the Men's second block Masters with a comfortable victory.

Armed with a margin of 149 pins from the overnight first block, Choi Suk Byung never looked treatened as he opened his second block with his second perfect game of the championship.

Choi, who had bowled his first during the second game of the Team of Four event two days ago, won five of the eight matches contested to romp home a comfortable victory with 4004 pinfalls to give Daegu it's fifth gold medal.

JD Castro of Tamuning, who was fourth going into the final position round match, beat third-placed, Kim Young Pyo of Daegu, 237-214 to win the silver medal with 3739.

Duenas, who was second before the final match, lost to Choi, 194-214 to drop to third and settled for the bronze medal with 3712 while Kim finished fourth with 3642.

The men from Daegu won all the five gold medals contested, 2 silver, 3 bronze medals and two fourth placings for a total of 39 points. Tamuning took second with a 0-3-1 medal haul.

The 39 points helped Daegu emerged as overall champion and retained the Shinzo Sato Cup which they won at last year's championship in Macau, China. Pohang came away in second with a 3-1-1 medal haul and 24 points.

Photos courtesy of Guam Bowling Congress.

27th November, Tamuning: Paranaque won their first gold medal of the 23rd Asian Intercity Bowling Championship after Liza Clutario snatched the victory in the position round of the Women's second block Masters.

Liza Clutario, who trailed first block leader, Felymar Mandapat of Tamuning by 29 pins in third, got off to a cracking start in the second block with an opening game of 258 to take over the lead.

Another superb game of 244 saw the Paranaque lass stretched her lead to 36 pins over Mandapat keeping pace with the new leader. Despite posting 186 in her 11th match, Clutario was able to maintain her lead.

Pohang's Kim Hee Jung, who was second overnight, recovered from a poor opening match to regain second spot, albeit 50 pins away from Clutario while Lara Posadas trailed in third.

Clutario led for the next two matches but found Posadas too hot to handle as the latter took over the running up to 15th game with 21 pins separating the duo and the position round match to decide the champion.

Clutario prevailed to win the match, 255-215 to clinch the Paranaque's first gold medal with a grand total of 3748, winning 15 matches over the two blocks. Posadas added a silver with 3719, 29 pins adrift.

First block leader, Felymar Mandapat finished stronger than Kim Hee Jung to snatch the bronze medal with 3678 with Kim settling for fourth with 3634.

With their first gold and another silver, Paranaque moved up into second spot of the Women's medal tally on 19 points behind leader Pohang on 22 points. They are third overall behind runaway leader Daegu and Pohang in second.

Photos courtesy of Guam Bowling Congress.

26th November, Tamuning: Felymar Mandapat of Tamuning, snatched the lead of the Women's first block Masters finals of the 23rd Asian Intercity Bowling Championship while Choi Suk Byung took a comfortable lead in the men's division.

Team silver medalist, Liza Clutario of Paranaque set a hot pace winning her opening match of the 8-game Women's first block Round-robin Masters finals with 243 and the 10 pin bonus to lead Pohang's Kim Hee Jung by 6 pins.

Clutario then trailed team-mate, Cecilia after the second match despite winning it with 211 and earning another 10 pins bonus. A battle had developed between the duo as they traded the lead in the next four matches with little separating them.

A superb 277 from Kim saw the Korean surge into the lead, 17 pins ahead of Clutario as the field went into their eighth and final match of the block.

But it was Tamuning's Felymar Mandapat who stole the limelight after she streaked to a stunning 258 final match to snatch the lead with 1879, just 1 pin ahead of Kim and winning all her eight matches.

The front runners, Clutario and Yap settled for third and fourth with 1851 and 1817 respectively. Lara Posadas, also of Paranaque took fifth spot with 1815 as triple gold medalist, Yoon Jun Sil finished down in eighth.

Jonathan Duenas could have given host city, Tamuning plenty to celebrate had he topped the men's division but had to settle for second to All Events gold medalist, Choi Suk Byung of Daegu, who topped the block with 2060.

Choi made all the running throughout the eight matches except for the first match lead that Duenas had taken after he got off to a cracking start with 279. Singles gold medalist, Kim Young Pyo trailed his team-mate only for two matches.

The leader ended the block winning five matches but comfortably ahead of Duenas in second by 149 pins. Duenas also won five matches for a total of 1911 as Kim took third spot with 1869.

JD Castro and Brian Manibusan did Tamuning proud by taking up fourth and fifth spots with 1844 and 1820 respectively ahead of Daegu's Shin Sung Hoon completing the top 6.

The men and women will conclude the championship with the second block of 7 matches with the final position round match to decide this year's masters champions and for the final two gold medals.

Photos courtesy of Guam Bowling Congress.

25th November, Tamuning: Host city, Tamuning upstaged the favourites to win the Women's Team of Four gold medal of the 23rd Asian Intercity Bowling Championship while Daegu bagged their third in the Men's division.

Tamuning, who led the first block just 14 pins ahead of Pasay, had their lead reduced to 12 pins after the start of the second block. But Leanne Rankin, Marie Velasco, Shelle Javier and Felymar Mandapat stretched the lead to 76 pisn after a superb fifth game of 875.

Another superb final game of 823 sealed the victory with 4887 for Tamuning to the delight of the local supporters. Pasay shot a disasterous 710 in the final game to nose dive down to fourth and out of a medal.

Paranaque, who was trailing in third by 3 pins behind Pasay, knocked down 821 to total 4806 to snatch the silver medal while favourite, Pohang settled for the bronze medal with 4786.

Two gold medalist, Yoon Jun Sil added a second individual gold medal after she topped the Women's All Events standings with 4044. Her team-mate and Doubles partner won the silver with 4007. Paranaque's Lara Posadas settled for the bronze medal with 3885 ahead of Shah Alam's Yap Wi Yin finishing fourth with 3817.

As expected, favourite Daegu again was a class of their own when they romped home another comfortable victory in the Men's Team of Four to win their third gold medal.

Singles gold medalist, Kim Young Pyo anchored his team-mates, Choi Suk Byung, Bae Su Wook and Shin Sung Hoon to a team total of 5514 with Choi shooting the highest 6-game series of 1435 in the process.

Tamuning had plenty to cheer as the men took the Team silver medal. John John Ada, Jonathan Duenas, JD Castro and Brian Manibusan totaled 5357 to finish second, 157 pins adrift Daegu..

Lau Ho Kwan, David Tsang, Carlos Lai and Michael Chan of Hong Kong did well to take home the bronze medal with 4959 edging Pohang by 30 pins on 4929.

Daegu added a fourth gold medal to their tally after Choi Suk Byung overtook team-mate Kim Young Pyo in the Men's All Events standings with 4326. Kim settled for the silver with 4279. Shim Sung Hoon gave Daegu a clean sweep of the medals finishing third with 4156 while Bae Su Wook completed the domination to take up fourth with 4094.

Daegu looked set to emerge as overall champion and retain the Shinzo Sato Cup after having won 4 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze medals. Pohang is second with 3 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze medal.

The top 16 men and 16 women will contest the Masters finals over two blocks for the two final gold medals of the championship.

Photos courtesy of Guam Bowling Congress.

24th November, Tamuning: Daegu continued to dominate the 23rd Asian Intercity Bowling Championship after Singles Silver medalist Choi Suk Byung and Singles Gold medalist, Kim Young Pyo captured the Men's Doubles gold medal on Tuesday.

The paring of Singles gold and silver medalists, Kim Young Pyo and Choi Suk Byung again, proved too good for the field as they streaked home a comfortable victory in the Men's Doubles event to win Daegu's second gold.

Kim chalked up another record-breaking performance of 1457 with his partner, Choi contributing with 1462 to give the pair a total of 2919 for the win. Tamuning's JD Castro and Brian Manibusan, who led Squad A, settled for the silver with 2760.

The second pair of Bae Su Wook and Shin Sung Hoon took the bronze medal with 2759, just 1 pin off Tamuning while Pohang's Kim Deuk Sik and Im Hyun Woo finished a distant fourth with 2637.

In the women's division, Pohang also won their second gold medal when Singles Gold medalist, Yoon Jun Sil partnered Kim Hee Jung to a convincing and comfortable victory with 2815. Yoon posted 1390 to Kim's superb 1425.

Malaysia's ex-national, Choi Poh Lai and Yap Wi Yin, who trailed Pohang in Squad A, secured the silver medal with 2558, 257 pins adrift Pohang. Tamuning's Shellee Javier and Felymar Mandapat took the bronze medal with 2550.

Paranaque's Lara Posadas and Liza Clutario were robbed of a place in the podium by just 18 pins after finishing fourth with 2532.

The Team of 4 over two blocks of three games each will be contested on Wednesday. The top 16 men and top 16 women based on the 18-game All Events standings will qualify for the Masters finals.

Photos courtesy of Guam Bowling Congress.

23rd November, Tamuning: Daegu men dominated the opening event of the 23rd Asian Intercity Bowling Championship by sweeping all three medals of the Men's Singles while Pohang clinched their first gold in the women's division.

Last year's All Events and Masters gold medalist, Kim Young Pyo was simply too good for the field of 59 men as he captured Daegu's first gold medal with 1475 pinfalls in the opening Men's Singles event.

Host city's JD Castro had looked promising for a medal but fizzled out in the final stages of the 6-game event to end up in fifth while Choi Suk Byung and Shin Sung Hoon Daegu a clean sweep with the silver and bronze medals on 1434 and 1412 scoreline.

Lau Kwan Ho secured one point for Hong Kong by finishing fourth with 1382 ahead of Castro fifth with 1363. Bae Su Wook almost shot the championship's first 300 in his opening game of 299.

Meanwhile, Yoon Jun Sil won Pohang's first gold with victory in the Women's Singles event with a score of 1350. Yoon, who took over the lead at the halfway mark just edged Paranaque's Liza Clutario by 15 pins for the victory.

Clutario settled for the silver medal with 1335 despite a late charge with 244 in her final game. Lara Posadas claimed the bronze medal for Paranaque with 1297 while Pohang's Kim Hee Jung finished fourth with 1286.

Tamuning's Felymar Mandapat gave a glimsp of hope when she led with a superb opening game of 258 and was trailing Clutario up to the third game but dropped off her pace to finish fifth.

The bowlers will resume with their Doubles on Tuesday and the Team of 4 event on Wednesday. The top 16 men and 16 women based on the 18-game All Events standings will qualify for the Masters finals.

Photos courtesy of Guam Bowling Congress.

22nd November, Macau: A simple ceremony held at Central Lanes on Sunday, marked the opening of the 23rd Asian Intercity Bowling Championship which will get underway from 23 to 27 November.

The opening ceremonies featured a performance by the Talent Box Company, an entertainment group aged 5 to 7 giving a redition of Michael Kacson compilations. Delegates from fifteen cities then marched past to the music by the Guam Territorial Band.

Mr Joey Miranda III, assistant secretary general of the Asian Intercity Bowling Council and Executive Chairman of the championship gave his welcome remarks after AIBC Vice President, Mr Johnson Cheng delivered his opening speech on behalf of AIBC.

Shellee Javier and John John Ada of host team Tamuning took the oath of sportsmanship while Col. Joe Mafnas, Ret. GPD and Vice President of Guam Bowling Congress took the officials oath.

A perfect game award was presented to Kim Young Pyo of Daegu, who scored the 300 during last year's championship at the Cotai International Bowling Center in Macau by Mr Gordon Chu, President of GBC.

Achievement penants were also awarded to Mr Gordon Chu and AIBC Exco member, Chen for their 25 years of dedicated serives to the AIBC. Mr Miranda then declared the championship officially open.

The 15 cities competing this year are Capitol Hill, Daegu, Dededo, Hagatna, Hong Kong, Kuantan, Pasay, Paranaque, Pohang, Quezon City, Saipan, Shah Alam, Taipei, Victoria and host city, Tamuning.

Competition will kick off with the Singles on November 23 over two squads followed by the medal presentation thereafter. The next two events will be the Doubles and Team of 4 on November 24 and 25-26.

The top 16 men and 16 women in the All Events standings will qualify for the Masters finals on November 26-27 over the first block of 8 games and second block of 7 games with the position round to determine the winners.

Photos courtesy of Guam Bowling Congress.