Kang rolls off with a Bang!

Milo International Junior All-Stars Bowling Championship

The 10^th Milo International Junior All-Stars Bowling Championship at the Sunway Mega Lanes got off to a grand start on the opening day on Wednesday, with national back-up bowler Kang Bo Long firing the championship’s first perfect game.

Kang who turned 23 on July 11, fired his perfect game in his in the Boy’s Open Masters qualifying games.

After scoring 199 in his first game, Kang who hails from Johor, scored his 300 in the second before falling back with 193.

His total for three games of 692 saw him placed 4^th in the qualifiers, but today he was back on the lanes and attempted another two blocks.

In is third attempt, Kang bowled 263, 201 and 269 for a total of 733 to move up to be joint second to share the spot with Mohd Haziq Sahli. Fellow national youth bowler, Mohd Amirrul Afif leads the standing with his total of 749.

A total of 44 slots is allocated for the Boys Masters where they divided into top 12 spots among local bowlers, top 12 among overseas bowlers, top 16 among the mixed group (both locals and foreigners), three last slots reserved for desperados (last qualifying block) and the defending champion, Adrian Ang.

The organizers had increased the number of slots for the Masters because of the overwhelming response. The Boys’ category saw an increase of four slots, whilst the Girls’ category saw an increase from an initial 30 slots to 36.

For the Girls Open category, eleven slots are allocated to qualifiers from the Local Pool, 11 from the Overseas Pool, 11 from the Mixed Pool, two for the desperados squad and defending champion, Sin Lin Jane.

The championship looks all set to set a new record of entries with already some 700 bowlers having registered until today (Thursday). Registration will continue until the final day for qualifiers which is on Dec 17 (next Thursday).

The previous record of total number of bowlers stands at 747 in the 2007.

Meanwhile, Kang after having pocketed RM1,000 for his perfect game (offered every day for the first perfect game and if more shared), is in high spirits.

“It was great to start the championship on a high note of firing a 300 and it was first official 300 in a championship,” said Kang who has been bowling for ten years and fired six perfect games but all in training.

“Although I did not do well yesterday despite the 300, I have managed to get a better score today which I think is suffice to make the cut,” added Kang who is looking at a podium finish after having finished third last year.

“I may bowl in one more qualifier and hopefully get a higher score just as insurance,” said the nephew of national bowler Alex Liew.

Kang said that it was his uncle to introduced him to the game and trained him.

Kang was drafted to the back-up squad early this year after he lost in the semifinals of the Malaysian Open in March to Zulmazran Zulkifli.

Kang is seen as a fast rising bowler with tremendous potential to make the elite national team in time.

For the championship, among the early foreign bowlers to have arrived include from Singapore, Australia and India. Others who have confirmed their participation are Hong Kong, Korea, Thailand and Chinese Taipei.

Japan had withdrawn at the eleventh hour because of flight unavailability. Korea will have the largest number of bowlers coming with about 60 bowlers expected.

The categories competed in the championship are singles (boys and girls – Open and Graded), Boys Open, Girls Open, Boys Graded, Girls Graded, 15 & Under and 12 &Under.

On the first day on Wednesday, a novelty event – 9 Pin Tap – a total of 144 bowlers competed. The winner took home RM 400 and a Brunswick Performance Ball, the runner-up RM 300 and a Brunswick Performance Ball and third placed RM 200 and a bowling ball. Cash prizes were given till the 10^th placed, while 11^th to 20^th placed received free qualifying games coupons.

RESULTS:

9 Pin Tap

1. Hee Kar Yen (Nat Back-up); 2. Selva Nivashini; 3. Natasya Adam; 4 Kitty Lo

Current leaders:

BOYS OPEN:

Local Pool: 1. Mohd Amirrul Arif – 749 (Nat Back-up)); 2. Mohd Haziq Sahli - 733 (Nat Back-up); 2. Kang Bo Long – 733 (Nat Back-up) 4. Zaid Izlan – 704 (National);

Overseas Pool: 1. Sam Cooley – 691 (Aus); 2. Dhruv Sarda – 666 (India); 3. Dion Alexanander – 605 (Aus); 4. Shabbir A. Dhankot – 603 (India)

Mixed Pool:

1. Aliq Rifqi Lahat Dadok – 562 (Joh)

Singles

1. Keryn Delaney – 732 (Aus); 2. Dion Alexander – 728 (Aus); 3. Syimir Abd Razak – 675 (Nat Back-up).

GIRLS OPEN:

Local Pool: 1. Zatil Iman – 638 (Mas); 2. Hee Kar Yen – 636 (Nat Back-up); 2 Tengku Emanina – 636 (Nat Back-up); 4. Dina Nurnadia – 573 (Nat Back-up)

Singles: 1. Zatil Iman – 781 (Mas); 2. Sharon Koh – 662 (Mas); 3. Hee Kar Yen -656 (Nat Back-up)

BOYS GRADED

1.Kovaraman Hairi - 712 (Mcca); 2. Muhammad Firdaus Idris – 707 (KL); 3. Ahmad Hazim – 668 (KL); 4. Muhammad Farhan Rahmat - 661 (Joh)

GIRLS GRADED

1. Natasha Roslan - 675 (Sel); 2.Nur Farah Shafiqah – 643 (USPTN Perak); 3. Nur Fadeena – 640 (Ked); 4. Liew Li Jian – 610 (KL)

BOYS 15 & UNDER

1. Cheah Yong Ren – 676 (KL); 2. Gea Chong Yu – 668 (Spore); 3. Muhammad Hareez – 661 (Mcca); 4. Faiz Miza Yob Zain – 660 (Pk)

GIRLS 15 &UNDER

1.Anessa Asyira Abas – 588 (NS) ; 2. Victoria Chin – 584 (Sel); 3. Siti Nur Shahirah Sanad – 580 (Sel); 4. Selva Nivashini – 578 (Sel)

BOYS 12 & UNDER

1.Puah Ting Wei – 563 (Sel); 2. Basil Ng (Spore); 3. Muhamad Aqil – 547 (Sel); 4. Tun Ameerul Hakim - 521 (Pk)

GIRLS 12 & UNDER

1.Ayra Nurjehan – 611 (Sel); 2. Nora Lyana – 553 (Sel); 3. Nur Fadhlin Arisya – 531 (Pk); 4. Nur Ameera Husna – 524 (Ked)