Two year wait for a title ends for Aaron and Li Jane

Penang’s Aaron Kong and Perak’s Sin Li Jane won the Men and Ladies Open Masters title respectively at the 34^th Canon Malaysian National Bowling championship at the Sunway Megalanes last night.

  It was night where the top seeds of the match play finals and defending champions of both the Men and Ladies category fell aside.

Even before the match play was rolled off where the top eight bowlers after the final rounds of the Masters final qualified after playing ten games, Ladies defending champion, Siti Safiyah Amirah failed to make the cut when she finished tenth out the 12 bowlers in the final rounds.

Then as the top seed qualifiers for the match play – Men’s Adrian Ang and Ladies’ Sharon Koh – lost out in the semifinals, it was left to Men’s defending  champion, Muhd Syafiq Ridhwan Abdul Malek to carry the challenge.

But Syafiq, a member of the Elite national team,  also was felled when fellow national bowler, Aaron beat him in the final over two games – 204-163 and 202-182.

 

In the Ladies final, 18-year-old Li Jane from Perak and a member of the National Back-up Elite, had to bring out her best to beat Penang’s Fatin Syazliana, also member of the National Back-up Elite, squad over three games.

Fatin set the pace with a first game victory over Li Jane with a 246-218 game, before the latter came back to defeat Fatin in a close match of 229-207.

The decider was nerve wrecking in the first few frames, before Li Jane pulled away to win 215-175.

Aaron won RM 7,000 for his win, while Li Jane picked up RM3,000. Syafiq collected RM3,000 while Fatin pocketed RM1,500.

In the Men's semifinals, Aaron who qualified for the Masters as the sixth seed, had defeated fellow Penangite, fellow national bowler and top seed, Adrian Ang  186-216; 227-239.

In the other semifinals, Syafiq had to draw into his reserved to defeat fourth seed Kelvin Keong 224-188; 184-202; 243-200.

In the Ladies semifinals  Li Jane who was the second seed had also to bowl a deciding game to defeat fourth seed Wendy Chai 236-203; 214-222; 237-189.

In the other semifinals, Fatin also had to go into the deciding game to defeat top seed Sharon Koh 173-168-; 260-212; 224-213. 

For both Aaron and Li Jane, an individual title was long over due – two years to be exact.

Aaron won his last title in 2008 at the World Youth championship in  Orlando, USA, where he won the Masters and team title.
As for Li Jane, she last won in 2008 too at the 4^th Commonwealth Tenpin Bowling Championship in Belfast, Ireland, where she won the singles and Masters title and the Milo Junior All-Stars title.

“I have been fed up of being just a team bowler and not being able to win an individual title since 2008. But more importantly, I wanted to really do well here and start my New Year on a good note, because I want to make the team for the Men's World Championship in Germany and Asian Games in China,” said Aaron of what motivated him to rise to the occasion.

“The competition in the national team is keen and if I was not going to win individual titles, then I could be facing the axe for these two important championships," said the 24-year-old lanky Aaron.

“I am glad that I have won the National title and hope that it is the beginning of better things for me this year."

Li Jane on the other hand, was simply overwhelmed by her victory.

“This is simply great. It has been a long time since I won and just want to cherish this moment,” said Li Jane who had qualified for the Masters last year too as the top seed, but lost in the semifinals.

“The win is even meaningful because I had to bowl against many top national bowlers and have made it to the top.

“However, I am not going to get carried away with this victory because the competition is very keen and anyone of the bowlers can win a title anytime.

“I just want to use this victory to boost my morale and work even harder to do well in other tournaments.”

Indeed the result was a surprise to many as many of the top national men and women bowlers dropped out in the process.

However, it is healthy for the sports, as everyone is kept on their toes and there is no room for complacency. Besides the emergence of new and young talent further is a plus point for the sports.

 RESULTS:

Men:

Quarterfinals:
(1^st Seed) Adrian Ang bt (8) Kang Bo Long – 215-180; 193-189

(2^nd Seed) Mohd Syafiq Rahman bt (7) Muhd Nur Aiman 212-151; 202-173

(3^rd Seed) Zulmazaran Zulkifli lost to (6) Aaron Kong 204-214; 180-269

(4^th Seed) Mohammed Zaim lost to (5) Kelvin Keong 213-260;212-222

Semifinals:

(1^st Seed) Adrian Ang lost to (6) Aaron Kong  186-216; 227-239

(2^nd Seed) Mohd Syafiq Ridhwan  beat (5) Kelvin Keong 224-188; 184-202; 243-200

Final:

(1^st Seed) Mohd Syafiq Ridhwan  lost to (6) Aaron Kong  165-204; 182-202

Champion: Aaron Kong (National Elite team – Penang)

Ladies:

Quarterfinals:

(1^st Seed) Sharon Koh bt (8) Yap Wi Yin 289-191; 279-216

(2^nd Seed) Sin Li Jane bt (7) Zatil Iman 185-162;195-180

(3^rd Seed) Nur Syakirah Yeoh lost to (6) Fatin Syazliana 223-188; 189-224; 213-248

(4^th Seed) Zandra Aziela lost to (5) Wendy Chai 191-203; 228-207; 200-204

Semifinals:

(1^st Seed) Sharon Koh lost to (6) Fatin  Syazliana 168-173; 260-212; 213-224

(2^nd Seed) Sin Li Jane beat (4) Wendy Chai  236-203; 214-222; 237-189

Final:

(2^nd Seed) Sin Li Jane beat (6) Fatin Syazliana 218-246; 229-207; 215-175

Champion: Sin Li Jane (National Back-up Elite – Perak)

All pictures for Interstate and National championship by Terence Yaw using Canon EOS 450D