The long awaited win in the Sea Games soccer tournament by the Malaysian U-23 team has given Malaysian soccer a sudden recognition and support. It was a 20 year-old wait after Malaysia last won the Sea Games in 1989 at the KL Sea Games when Malaysia coached by Englishman, Trevor Hartley beat Singapore 3-1 on that rainy night on Aug 31 at the Merdeka Stadium.
Here view highlights and the "own goal" in Vientiane on Dec 17, 2009, that has earned the Malaysian team all the accolades - courtesy of RTM, Pakcu and YouTube.
Twenty years wait.......Malaysian U-23 captain Aidil Zafuan Abdul Razak (right) together teammates K. Gurusamy (No 15), Azmi Nuslin (No 11)and the rest of the team doing their victory lap after their win over Vietnam in the final on Dec 17,2009
Lefties ruled in the finals of the Men and Women’s Open in the 37th PenangPesta International Bowling Championship which ended yesterday at the Mega Lanes, Prai, Penang.
While the Korean power continued to rule with Choi Bok Eum winning the title and RM10,000, national bowler Zatil Iman Abdul Ghani bagged the Ladies Open title edging Shalin Zulkilfi to win RM5,000. Both were southpaws.
Lefties further ruled the championship, with Men’s Open second placed and third, national bowlers, Alex Liew and Muhd Nur Aiman respectively and Ladies Open third placed, Holland’s Ghislaine Vander Tol, all being lefties.
Alex (left) pocketed RM4,000, while Muhd Nur (right) took home RM2,000.
For the 21-year-old Choi (centre), he was the biggest winner, having bagged the Youth Open title on Christmas Day to pocket another RM3,000 for a total of RM18,000 to take home.
However, Zatil Iman still had enough reasons to be equally happy, as her hopes of ending the year with at least one title was fulfilled.
The 21-year-old lass from Kelana Jaya had even more reason to be happy, as she had pipped overnight leader and senior professional bowler, Shalin Zulifli to the title.
Shalin( left) who collected RM2,500, was the leader until the sixth game yesterday, before Zatil (centre), who was in an overnight fourth position, moved to top spot.
For Zatil a second-year sports science diploma student at UITM, her charge all started on Friday in the first block, where in the seventh game she fired the tournament’s third perfect game.
“The perfect game saw me find the line, and I just used the line to carry on and did well,” said Zatil who had won the bronze medal in the mixed doubles partnering Adrian Ang in World Games in Chinese Taipei and winning the bronze in the singles in the World Youth Championship in Orlando, USA.
“I had least expected to win with Shalin in the lead and two foreign bowlers (Ghislaine and Indonesia’s Tannya Roumimper) ahead of me after the first day. Besides, they are all experienced bowlers,” said Zatil who has been with the national team for two years now.
However, what helped Zatil a great deal in getting the better of her opponents was that the extra 20 pinfalls she collected for wins in the match play.
In the final round yesterday, bowlers were awarded 20 pins for a win and 10 pins for a draw in every game against their opponent in the round robin format.
Zatil won nine of her match plays including her positional round and one drew once against Ghislaine, when both finished with identical scores of 247.
Zatil collected 190 pins in bonus points as opposed to Shalin’s 120 from six wins out of ten match play.
“Yes, the 70 pins difference did help me, but I bowled well too,” said Zatil who had lines of 217, 256, 245, 236, 233, 254, 225, 247, 247 and 278 for an average of 230.55.
Shalin herself too did well with lines of 221, 227, 255, 225, 218, 243, 195, 239, 246 and 257 for an average of 229.05.
“I bowled well and am happy with my performance, but Zatil bowled better,” said Shalin.
“Besides, I think the lines were better for lefties. But I am not complaining because it has been a long season and most of us had come to Penang for a holiday,” said Shalin.
“Thus, I bowled without any pressure and it worked well in the end.”
Zatil too said that she had taken the championship with a relaxed approach.
“I had wanted so much to do well in the All-Stars championship last week and had even qualified as the finals as the top qualifier. But I crumbled and ended up finishing 33rd out 36 qualifiers,” said Zatil who hopes to make the Asian Games team next year.
As for the men’s category, the Koreans once again underlined their supremacy, while Alex despite being a lefthander too, failed to unseat Choi who won with a 316 pins advantage over Alex (5,445-5,129)
Earlier in the Junior All-Stars championship last week, another Korean, Kim Jong Wook had won the men’s Open title, besides the Korea's domination in the Boys and Girls Graded events too.
FINAL RESULTS:
Men’s Open:
1. Choi Bok Eum (Kor) – 5,445 (average: 240.23);2. Alex Liew (Mas) - 5,129 (av: 225.86); 3. Muhd Nur Aiman (Mas) – 5,102 (av: 225.55);
Ladies Open:
1. Zatil Iman Abdul Ghani (Mas) – 4,801 (average: 230.55);2. Shalin Zulkilfi (Mas) – 4701 (av: 229.05); 3. Ghislaine Vander Tol (Hol) – 4,635 (av: 225.25)
Men’s Graded:
1.Khairul Diaz Din (UITM) – 2,253; 2. Mustafa Yassin Hussin (NS) – 2,190; 3. Muhammad Syafiq Sajeli (Swak) – 2,119.
Ladies’ Graded:
1. Tracy See (SporeSportsSchool) – 2,060; 2. Syaidatul Afifah (Pk) – 1,909; 3. Farah Izzazaya Mohd Fariq (Pah) – 1,898
Senior Masters:
1. Sandra Sageran (Spore) – 2,038; 2. Y.H. Ng (KL Megalanes) – 2,019; 3. Terdporn M (Thai) – 2,013)
The Korean challenge surfaced after the first block Men's Open in the Pesta Penang International Bowling championship yesterday, but the Malaysian men bowlers were still within striking distance to check the threat.
It was Korean's No 1 bowler and Pesta Penang champion in 2005, Choi Bok Eum, who was the leader after the first block of ten games with a total pinfall of 2,426 yesterday evening at the Mega Lanes, Prai, Penang.
Choi had earlier in the day won the Youth Boys Open title, where national youth bowler Jonathan Chan, finished runners-up and another Korean, Jang Dong Chul finishing third.
Close at hand finishing second in the Men's Open was national bowler, Daniel Lim, 68 pins behind Choi, while southpaw Alex Liew finished third with 2,341.
Another national bowler, Muhd Nur Aiman finished fourth with his score of 2,292.
Other national bowlers whom made the cut were Penangites, Adrian And and Aaron Kong - fifth and sixth respectively - and two national back-up bowlers - Mohd Noer Said (9th) and Kelvin Keong (10th)
However, defending champion, Zulmazran Zulkifli, failed to make the cut to be among the top 12 bowlers from the 28 who made the cut for the final round yesterday.
Zulmazran finished 17th with his total of 2,068, while another national bowler who failed to make the cut was Syafiq Ridhwan who was placed 14th with a total of 2,105.
Zulmazran's small consolation was that he emerged the singles winner with his total score of 962. Syafiq was second and Daniel third.
However, in the Women's Open, veteran and pro bowler Shalin Zulikfli, showed that she was still the boss, when she finished tops with a total of 2,225, but had Holland's Ghislaine Vander Tol breathing down her neck just two pins behind her in second place.
In third spot was Indonesia's Tannya Roumimper (2,213) while national bowlers Zatil Iman and Sin Li Jane occupier fourth and fifth spot with their scores of 2,173 and 2,149 respectively.
Defending champion, Sharon Koh made the cut of top ten bowlers from the 18 finalists, when she finished ninth with 2,016, while All Star Classic champion, Siti Safiyah was the last qualifier with her 2,006.
Sharon also won the singles title with her score of 902, with Sinagapore's Tan Yah Ling second and Esther third.
Another national bowler who made the cut was Milo International Junior All Stars Junior champion, Esther Cheah who finished eighth with 2,043 while national back-up bowler, Syakira Yeoh also made the cut when she finished in seventh spot (2,056).
All scores from the first block yesterday will be carried forward for the second and final block this morning where the men will 12 games round-robin (including one positional round), while the women will bowl 10 games (including one positional round) to determine the final placings.
In the Youth Girls final yesterday, it was Singapore Sports School's Michaela Oehler who won the title, with Korea's Jo Hyun Jung finishing second and Sabah's Nabilah Kassim on third spot.
In the Senior Masters, Sandra Sageran from Singapore was the champion with a total score of 2,038 over ten games, while former national bolwer, Y.H. Ng representing KL Megalanes was second and Thailand's Terdporn M finishing third.
Top 12 men for final round today:
1. Choi Bok Eum (Kor); 2. Daniel Lim (Mas); 3. Alex Liew (Mas); 4. Muhd Nur Aiman (Mas); 5. Gregory Gan (Spore); 6. Adrian Ang (Mas); 7. Aaron Kong (Mas); 8. Kim Jong Wook (Kor); 9. Mohd Noer Said (Nat back-up); 10. Kelvin Keong (Nat, Back-up); 11. Jang Dong Chul (Kor); 12. Yusuf Abdul Rauf (KL)
Top 10 women for final round today:
1. Shalin Zulkifli (Mas); 2. Ghislaine Vander Tol (Hol); 3. Tannya Roumimper (Indon); 4. Zatil Iman (Mas); 5. Sin Li Jane (Mas); 6. Kristel Ho (Spore); 7. Syakira Yeoh (Nat back-up); 8. Esther Cheah (Mas); 9. Sharon Koh (Mas); 10. Siti Safiyah Amirah (Mas)
Penangite, Fatin Syazliana Adi Nasution, fired the Penang Pesta International Bowling championship’s second perfect game on Wednesday evening at the Mega Lanes, Prai, Penang.
Just like the first to score the magical 300 in the championship, India’s Dilbir Singh on Tuesday evening, it was also Fatin’s very first perfect game of her five-year career.
The 20-year lass had the honour of firing the perfect game in her very first game of her first game in the championship – the singles.
However, Fatin has fired two unofficial perfect games whilst training with the national back-up squad at the Sunway Mega Lanes this year.
“It is a great feeling of having fired my first official game 300. I least expected it because it was first game in the championship, but the pins just kept falling frame after frame,” said an elated 20-year-old Fatin.
Fatin said that she hopes to finish among the top three here after her disappointment of failing to make the stepladders to be among the top six in the Milo International Junior All-Stars championship last week, when she finished eighth.
Fatin missed the cut by 52 pins to fourth placed Esther who went on to win the title, while fifth placed and defending champion, Sin Li Jane missed out by nine pins.
“It will be great to win the tournament at home, but it is going to be a tough challenge especially from the national bowlers. But I intend to give my best shot,” said Fatin who hails from Permatang Pauh.
Fatin considers 2009 as a good year after having made a comeback after a year’s lay-off because of a freak accident.
Fatin hurt her left knee in her hotel room in Jakarta in December 2007, where she fell because of earthquake tremors. She was competing in the Ancol Open championship then.
“I hurt my left when I fell because of the tremor during the earthquake. The knee swelled up, but I continued to bowl until a few months later when I saw a orthopedic surgeon, who told me that I had damaged my knee and needed surgery to replace my knee,” related Fatin.
“I underwent the surgery and took me a year to make a comeback. I was back in the national back-up squad last year and that was the best reward for all the effort I made to make a comeback.”
Since her comeback, Fatin has competed in international championship and winning the Philippines Open in June was the best thing that happened to me since my return as it underlined that she was ready for international competitions.
Fatin was also a member of the national youth team to the Asian Indoor Games in Vietnam last month where she won silver in the doubles and a bronze in the team event.
Earlier in the Penang Games bowling championship, Fatin had won three gold medals in singles, doubles and team.
“It has been smooth sailing since my return after the long lay off and I hope I will be able to break into the national team soon,” said Fatin.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian men and women bowlers have lined themselves well to keep it a Malaysian affair in the championship’s Open category.
While the women bowlers were expected to be in the running, the men who have been having a poor run lately, have stepped up to be counted for the final tomorrow morning.
Besides defending champion, Zulmazran Zulkilfi, who earned an automatic berth carrying the Malaysian men’s challenge, amongthe remaining 27 qualifiers for the final rounds currently include, leaders among the local bowlers, national back-up bowler, Mohd Noer Said and local and national bowler, Aaron Kongwho are tied at 966. Then there is Zaid Izlan (922), overnight leader Alex Liew (921), Aris Ardilla Santosohand Syafiq Ridhwan tied on 898.
In addition, the fact that the top four bowlers’ total scores exceed the highest among the overseas qualifiers is another indication that earlier fear that the Koreans might dominate the championship not be a reality.
The three national Korean bowlers here, Jang Dong Chul, 2005 Pesta Penang champion, Choi Bok Eum and Kin Jong Wook have qualified with their respective total scores of 877 and identical 875 scores.
However, the battle will only begin today where the 28 will bowl 10 games for the top 12 bowlers to qualify for final rounds tomorrow morning, where the scores from the earlier round will be carried forward.
In the women’s category, newly crowned All Star Classic champion, Siti Safiyah Amriah, leads the pack with her totalof 962, while back-up bowlers Syakira Yeoh and Tengku Emanina are second and third with their scores of 895 and 890.
Shalin Zulkilfi is fourth with 888, Fatin is fifth with her score of 875.
Other national bowlers who will make the cut for the top 17 include Sin Li Jane (875), Zatil Iman (866) and Esther Cheah (811).
With so many Malaysian women bowlers in the race together with defending champion Sharon Koh, all indications are that one of them will wrest the title.
In the Boys Under-16 finals yesterday, Perak’s Muhammad Izzul Fahmi Ibrahim kept the Malaysian flag flying when denied Singapore’s Joel Tan and Jevarn Li the podium finish.
It was 16-year-old Muhammad Izuul Fahmi’s first title in his five year bowling career.
“This win is a surprise. I had never expected to win after having failed for the last five years. I suppose perseverance pays in the end,” said the Form 4 student from SMK Gunung Rapat, Tapah.
Muhammad Izuul had a total score of 1,663 from eight games, while Joel in second spot posted 1,647 and Jevarn had 1,604.
Under 16 champions: Singapore's Tan Yan Ling and Perak's Muhammad Izzul Fahmi Ibrahim
In the Girls finals, it was an all Singaporean affair with Tan Yan Ling emerging champions with her total of 1,769, Stacy Lian second (1,572) and Oriana Tay third (1551).
The Men and Women’s Graded finals will be held tonight.
It was warned in this blog six months ago, not to allow a Laos Sea Games failure by sepak takraw to be the final nail to the coffin for this game (Read here)
The slide was not checked then and now after the Laos debacle, everyone is reacting. (Read this).
The Youth and Sports Minister, Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek too took to task national associations who had failed in Laos (Read here).
Is it not a little too late to cry over split milk?
It is the same with many sports in the country. When a crack or decline in a sports is detected, no effort is made to make amends immediately.
We have this tendency to believe that everything will be take care of itself.
Yes it will take care of itself - reach the bottom of the barrel!
It is real sad that we are now talking about how to regain our past glory, in sepak takraw - sport which Malaysia introduced to the world.
This is what happens when things are taken for granted and complacency sets in.
Many sports have suffered the same fate or are on the way to suffer the same fate.
It is about time to once and for all take a serious stock check and get rid of all the ills in sports association - be it incompetent management personnel, administration flaws, financial woes, mismanagement of funds, lack of development programmes, lack of coaches, poor training programmes, in-house squabbles, welfare of athletes neglected and the list can go on.
But addressing the problem does not mean that National Sports Council (NSC) taking over the sports, but solve the issue in the associations and get it back on a better footing to start all over again.
NSC by all means should keep tab of associations, set KPIs, pull the plug when they slack, give guidance and teach the associations to stand on their own feet.
Do they should not take them on the easy path by spoon feeding them and running things for them.
Engage the national associations, but do not pamper them or have favourites and untouchables, or otherwise what has happened to sepak takraw will staring right into the faces in no time!
INDIA’s Dilbir Singh had the rare honour of not only scoring the first perfect game of the 37th Penang Pesta International Bowling Championship at the Mega Lanes, Prai, Penang, but also his first in his career.
The 27-year Dilbir who hails from West Bengal fired his perfect game in his third of four games Open Masters qualifier on Tuesday evening.
But sadly, Dilbir had just to be satisfied with the elation of having scored this year’s championship’s first and his first in career, because there was no prize money awarded, as in most tournaments.
However, Dilbir was far from disappointed that there was no prize money.
“Money cannot replace the feeling of having scored my first perfect 300 and in an official championship,” said the bearded Dilbir.
“Infact, it took me a good half and hour before I actually came to terms that I had fired a perfect 300. It was only when fellow bowlers kept coming up to me to congratulate me on my feat, that it sunk into me that I had actually fired a perfect game,” said Dilbir who had lines of 155,175, 300 and 215 for a total 845 to be placedthird among the local and overseas qualifiers group for the Masters.
Dilbir is here in Penang with three other teammates – Shabbir Dhankot, Tarun and Dhruv Sarda – who are all bowling in the Graded Open category.
Dilbir is among the Indian national bowlers who have been placed on a training programme based in Kuala Lumpur from time to time since the beginning ofthe year by the Tenpin Bowling Federation of India (TBFI).
The Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress (MTBC) are assisting them in the programme and even sees national coach Holloway Cheah assist them from time to time in training, while former national bowler Allan Chia coaches them on a more regular basis when the team is in KL.
Dilbir himself picked up the sports five years ago when he went to a local bowling centre in West Bengal.
“Then I saw a notice calling for entries for the Indian national championship and I entered for it. And after competing in the championship for the last five years, I was asked to join the national team a year and half ago,” said Dilbir who was helping his family business before becoming a fulltime bowler under the national team programme.
He made his debut with the Indian national team in the men’s World championship in Thailand last year.
This year in the national championship, Dilbir emerged the All-Events winner.
“I am now looking forward to making the cut for the Masters and hopefully do well too. I am really motivated after the 300 feat and hope to do well,” said Dilbir who will be presented by the organisers with a specially frame photograph of him with the ball he used to achieve his 300.
Meanwhile, national bowler Alex Liew is currently leading the local pool of qualifiers for the Men Masters with his total of 883, while national back-up bowler, Rodson Tong is second (832) and another back-up bowler Kelvin Keong third (817).
In the Ladies Masters qualifiers, national bowlers Zatil Iman and Sin Li Jane are in 1-2 position with their total of 827 and 790 respectively, while Siti Safiyah Amirah is in fourth spot (778). Siti Nur Syakila Mardyanna from UITM is third with her score of 779.
A total of 27 qualify for the Men’s Masters, whereas, 17 qualify for the Ladies Masters, where they will bowl 10 games before a cut-off for top 12 and 10 respectively for the final round-robin round to determine the winners.
Yesterday morning, in the Under-12 Girls final, homester and rising bowler from Penang, Nur Amirah Auni won the title with her total score of 752 over four games.
Nur Amirah who was placed third in Milo International All-Stars Junior championship in Kuala Lumpur last week, has had a few wins this year which include the Penang Schools Sports Council bowling championship Under-12 champion and winning three legs of the Milo Youth Cup circuit.
The standard six pupil of SR Seberang Jaya (2) picked up bowling following her teacher mother who is a social bowler.
Ayra Nur Jehan from Selangor was second placed (714) while Nur’Ain Mustaffa from Kedah finished third (657).
Under 12 Girls and Boys winners, Penang's, Nur Amirah Auni and Kedah's Azmil Azha
In the boys Under-12, Kedah’s Azmil Azha won the title with his score of 660, while KL’s Amirul Firdaus was second (657) and Perak’s Tun Hakim third (656).
The Higher Education Ministry does not see the need or relevance of setting up a Sports University.
Their argument is that eight Universities have already been identified as sports centres of excellence for netball, rugby, soccer, cricket, rowing, taekwondo, golf and swimming. (Read here)
So what is wrong with having a University dedicated purely for sports and centralising all sports in one University?
Will it not mean specialisation and a more concerted effort being taken towards the uplifting of the standard of sports in the country?
Will it not mean that sportsmen and women can look forward to a university dedicated to them to pursue their higher education, with probably a more relaxed guideline to get their degrees and emphasis on sports?
Will it not mean a means of employment for specialised sports personnel be it professors, coaches, trainers, physiotherapist etc?
Will it not mean being able to lure the best brains in sports to lecture or coach in the various fields of sports?
Will it not mean that sports science will be taken to the next level with a University dedicated to sports to do research in the various sports fields.
Universities have been for far too long been regarded as the "Graveyard of sports" and would not a Sports University change all that?
If it is important to have sports schools at the lower age-group, why is not relevant to have a Sports University.
Taking about Education Tourism, would a Sports University here in Malaysia, not be an attractive idea?
Another case of having great ideas but not prepared to take it all the way.
If financial implications is another reason for not having a Sports University, then it will be a case of penny wise, pound foolish.
Good luck to Malaysian sports! We will continue to bask in Sea Games glories!
Will the Malaysian men bowlers stand up and be counted to stop the Korean domination in the 37th Penang Pesta International Bowling Championship at the Mega Lanes, Prai, Penang.
That is the RM10,000 question after the Korean men had dominated in the Milo International Junior All-Stars championship last week in Sunway Mega Lane, in an all-Korean final where Kim Jong Wook defeated his teammate Park Jong Woo for the Boys Open title.
To make matters worse, the Malaysian men bowlers failed to stamp their authority in the the All-Star Classic that ended on Monday, where Siti Safiyah Amirah won in a competition where both men and women competed together.
The only Malaysian man who made the cut to the stepladder final to be among the top eight was national back-up bowler Kang Bo Long.
But even Kang, could not reach the final to save the blushes for the men, as he lost out to Korea’s national women bowler, Jeon Eun Hee in the semifinals.
For the Pesta Penang, Korean No 1, Choi Bok Eum, who was the 2005 Pesta Penang winner, together with teammates Jang Dong Chul and newly crowed Junior All-Stars champion, Kim Jong Wook, will represent Korea.
The Korean women’s challenge will come from newcomer to the national team, Jo Hyun Jung.
Zulmazran Zulkifli is the defending men’s champion, while Sharon Koh is the title holder for the women’s category.
While the chances are that the women’s category will see a Malaysian win it again, the odds are indeed against the men.
Anyone of the women bowlers are capable of stepping up to win honours as it was it was proven in the All-Star Juniors where Esther Cheah won it and in the All Star Classic, it was Siti Safiyah.
Among the women bowlers who will carry the challenge include Penangites, Esther and Fatin Syazliana Adi Nasution, newly crowned All Star Classic champion, Siti Safiyah Amirah, Sin Li Jane,, Zandra Aziela, Zatil Iman and defending champion , Sharon herself.
As for the men, almost the entire national elite men squad are here which includes the like of homesters, Adrian Ang and Aaron Kong (left), Alex Liew, Daniel Lim, Muhd Nur Aiman, Muhamad Syafiq Ridhwan and Zulmazaran, besides the back-up and youth bowlers.
So will the men be able to upstage the strong Korean challenge?
National bowling team manager, Cheah Ban Cheng, who is also the Penang Pesta organising secretary, said that it is going to be tough, but not impossible.
“Like it or not, the Koreans have been stamping their authority world over,” said Cheah.
“They are represented by their top bowlers and it is a challenge to our bowlers to upstage them.
“However, although the odds may be against us, but nothing is impossible. After having seen the Koreans dominate in two championships in Kuala Lumpur, it will be good to see their domination broken here in Penang.”
The championship which is the oldest in the country – 37th edition – is expected to see some keen competition with several other top bowlers adding excitement and glamour to the competition.
Among them include Holland’s Wendy Kok and Ghislaine van der Tol, Singapore’s Jennifer Tan, Indonesia’s Tannya Roumimper and Putty Armein.
Currently the qualifiers are ongoing before the final rounds of the top 28 men and 18 women on Christmas Day decide on the top eight for the stepladders on Boxing Day where the champion prize money is RM10,000 for the men and RM5,000 for the women.
Malaysia’s Siti Safiyah Amirah came from a game down and fight tooth and nail to defeat Korea’s Jeon Eun Hee to wrest the inaugural All Stars Classic bowling title in an all womenfinal at the Sunway Mega Lanes.
Siti won RM30,000 for her win, while Jeon picked up RM15,000. Another Malaysian – national back bowler – Kang Bo Long picked up RM10,000 for his third placed effort.
Siti’s win yesterday evening sort of made up for her disappointment of finishing 23rd in the Milo International Junior All-Stars Bowling championship which ended on Saturday at the same venue where Esther Cheah emerged champion.
Siti yesterday finished tops in the final round of 24 bowlers to make the stepladder finals and waited for the winner from the earlier rounds of stepladders finals which finishers from second spot to sixth to meet her in the final.
“For a while, I thought the I am going to lose the final when I had difficulties with the lanes, while the Korea was stringing one after the other,” said Siti who went down 187-255 in the first game.
“Coach Holloway got me to move my position and for the second game also made a ball change. That did the trick, as got off to four strikes in a row, while Jeon was having problems.
“Then a split in the sixth frame and Jeon finding her lines, put me under pressure. Likely I recovered and while Jeon fizzled out,” said Siti who fired 215 to Jeon’s 180 for the title and cash prize.
“It was a close battle and I am glad that I survived the strong challenge. I am happy, but still cannot get over my performance in the All Stars Junior championship, for I wanted badly to do well there,” said Siti who had won the title in 2004 and 2006.
“I suppose I will just have to seek consolation with this victory.”
Earlier, Kang was carrying the burden of men bowlers in the tournament to see a make representative in the final after he emerged winner from the first semifinals stepladder defeating Korea’s Kim Ju Young and Aloysius Goh from Singapore
In the second semifinal, Kang simply found Jeon, the second ranked women bowler in Korea was in her element throwing every bowl like a machine with total precision to earn 265 opposed to his score of 209.
But Kang’s score of 209 was enough to push Indonesia’s Tannya Roumimper to fourth place who had a score of 205.
The women bowlers who bowled together with the men in this championship were give handicap of 8 pins in the earlier rounds.
15 out of the 24 qualifiers for the final round of six games were men. And in top six after that, there was an equal representation of three men and three women, although the top three finishers were women.
There was no handicap for the stepladder finals and in the end the women ruled.
RESULTS:
Grand Final: 1st v winner from 5th round
Siti Safiyah Amirah (Mas) : 187/215 (Champion)
Jeon Eun Hee (Kor): 255,180 (Runner-up)
5th Round: Winner 4th round, 2nd and 3rd
Jeon Eun Hee (Kor) – 265 (winner)
Kang Bo Long(Mas) – 209 (3rd Placed)
Tannya Roumimper (Indon) – 205 (4th Placed)
4th Round: Stepladder Semifinal – 4th, 5th and 6th – 1 game
Aloysius Goh (Spore) – 203 (5th placed)
Kim Ju Young (Kor) – 194 (6th placed)
Kang Bo Long (Mas) – 207 (winner)
3rd Round (24 bowlers – six games each): Top Six qualify for stepladder finals:
1.Siti Safiyah Amirah (Mas) handicap per game 8 - hcp total – 1,519
2.Tannya Roumimper (Indon) hc per game 8 – hcp total- 1,483
3.Joen Eun Hee (Kor) hc per game 8 – hcp total – 1,481
4.Aloysius Goh (Spore) hc per game 5 – hcp total 1,466
5.Kang Bo Long (Mas)hc per game 0 – total – 1,464
6.Kim Ju Young (Kor) hc per game 0 – total – 1,451
An array of international bowling stars are competing in the inaugural two-day All-Stars Classic bowling championship which rolled off this afternoon at the Sunway Mega Lanes vying for a total prize money of RM88,000.
The championship which sees both men and women bowlers compete together, where the top 24 bowlers will received cash prizes with champion winning RM30,000, the runners-up RM15,000, third placed RM7,000 and fourth placed RM5,000.
Handicaps of 5 pins, 8pins and 15pins will be given per game for Men’s Graded, Women’s Open and Women’s Graded bowlers.
Among the challengers include newly crowned Milo International Junior All-Stars Bowling champions Korea’s Kim Jong Wook and Malaysia’s Esther Cheah.
Other stars competing, include recently crowned men’s AMF-Qubica Bowling World Cup champion in Malacca, Korea’s Choi Yong Kyu accompanied by Korean national team, women bowlers, Jeon Eun Hee ranked number in Korea and Shin Bo Hyun and men’s national team’s Jang Dong Chul.
Several other international bowlers competing are Wendy Kok from Canada, Thailand’s Surasak Manuwong and Yannaphon L, Indonesia’s Tannya Roumimper and David Candra Australia’s Trenton Barnier and Sam Cooley, Poland’s Felinda Grzybowska, Bahrain’s Mohamed Aliand India’s Dhruv Sarda, Dilbir Singh and Shabbir A.D.
Malaysia challenge besides Esther, will come from almost the entire national team competing with the likes of Zulmazran Zulkilfi, Adrian Ang, Aaron Kong, Alex Liew, Muhamad Syafiq Ridhwan, Muhd Nur Aiman from the men’s team and Shalin Zulkifli, Siti Safiyah Amirah, Zandra Aziela, Wendy Chai and Zatil Iman Abdul Ghani from the women’s team.
About 100 bowlers are vying for the top 42 places bowling in two blocks of six games until late tonight
The top three bowlers from the Boys and Girls Open bowlers from the Milo International Junior All-Stars Bowling Championship which concluded on Saturday, will automatically join the 42 qualifiers in tomorrow morning's top 48 round where they will bowl six games.
Then, the top 24 will make the cut for the next round, where they will bowl another six games before the top six make the cut for the stepladder finals in the evening.
