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
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 placed third 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
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
“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
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
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).
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).
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