abf-online.org - brought to you by ASIAN BOWLING FEDERATION

29th SEA Games Tenpin Bowling Championships

Double joy for Thailand and Malaysia

Photo Album 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Medal Album

23rd August, Kuala Lumpur: Thailand and host nation, Malaysia celebrated a double joy on the fourth day of the 29th SEA Games Tenpin Bowling Championships after the men captured the Trios gold and silver medals while the women bagged the Trios gold and bronze.

After just a bronze medal in the Mixed Doubles event, the second Thai trio of Surasak Manuwong, Atchariya Cheng and Sithiphol Kunaksorn and the first trio of Kim Bolleby, Annop Arromsaranon and Yannaphon Larpapharat finished one-two in the first block to lead the second Singapore trio in third.

The leader got off the block with a cracking 705 and followed it up with 616 and 611 for a total of 1992. Their compatriots finished second with 1914, just 18 pins adrift while Singapore took third spot with 1889.

The Thais were on a roll in the second block knocking down 712, 728 and 741 to seal victory and gave Thailand its first gold medal of the competition with 4113.

Thailand first and second trio with their silver and gold medals

The other Thai trio, who had just 47 pins gap to the pursuing Malaysian and Indonesian trios, survived the threat to clinch the silver medal with 3913. Indonesia's second trio of Ryan Lalisang, Billy Muhammad Islam and Hardy Rachmadian posted a big game of 720 in the sixth and final game to snatch the bronze medal with 3880. The second Malaysian trio of Adrian Ang, Ahmad Muaz and anchored by two gold medallist, Rafiq Ismail stumbled to a poor 617 missing the podium with 3824. Singapore rounded out the top five with 3808.

Meanwhile, Malaysia, who has failed to win a medal in the last two SEA Games in the trios event since winning it in Bangkok in 2007, finally took the gold with 3835. Esther Cheah, two gold medallist, Sin Li Jane and anchorwomen, Shalin Zulkifli edged arch-rival Singapore by 50 pins for a well-deserved victory.

"We only had a slender lead after the first block and we knew we had to focus 110 percent to have any chance of winning the gold," said Shalin Zulkifli. "After losing the lead at the start of the second block, we started to encourage each other much more.

"After regaining the lead in the fifth game, we were all pumped up and determined to not let this opportunity slip away. We're glad we finally nailed the gold medal."

Singapore's New Hui Fen, Shayna Ng and Cherie Tan settled for the silver medal with 3795 despite two superb games in the fourth and fifth games.

The two Malaysian trios with their gold and bronze medals

Malaysia's second trio of Natasha Roslan, Syaidatul Afifah and Siti Safiyah Amirah gave plenty of joy to the Malaysian contingent, especially the the visiting Y.B. Brig. Gen. Khairy Jamaluddin, Minister of Youth and Sports and the Chairman of the Malaysian Organising Committee (MASOC), who was on site to witness a thrilling battle.

The Malaysian trio rolled 628, 680 and 643 in their second block to clinch the bronze medal with 3785, just ten pins from Singapore. Philippines and Indonesia completed the top five with 3652 and 3603 respectively.

After four events contested, Malaysia topped the medal tally with four gold, four silver and two bronze medals. Singapore trailed in second with a medal haul of 1-2-1 while Thailand is third with a medal haul of 1-1-1. Indonesia has one gold and three silver medals.

Competition will resume tomorrow with the 5-player Team event to be contested over two blocks of three games each with a break at lunch time. At the end of the Team event, the top 16 men and top 16 women in the All-Events standings (30 games) will qualify for the Masters finals.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Kuala Lumpur.

| Back |