Bowling: Malaysia’s seven-year dominance in men’s singles comes to an end

From Vikneswaran Raman

HANOI, May 16 (Bernama) -- The national men’s bowling team's seven-year dominance in the singles event of the SEA Games has finally come to an end when they failed to clinch the gold medal in the 31st edition here today.

Young debutants Shahrukh Amin Zulkifli (1,199 pinfalls) and Mohd Syazirol Shamsudin (1,187 pinfalls) could only finish seventh and eighth respectively on the opening day of the bowling competition at the Heroworld Bowling Centre, Vincom Megamall Royal City.

Filipino Matheiu Merwin Tan captured the gold medal with 1,292 pinfalls while Thailand’s Yannaphon Larpapharat (1,286) took silver and Indonesian Ryan Leonard Lalisang (1,221) settled for bronze.

Despite getting off to a good start by scoring 244, the second-highest in the first game, Shahrukh Amin found himself unable to keep up with his opponents after a poor 117 in the fourth game.

“I needed to make a quick change because the transition was very fast. I take it as a learning process and will focus on doing well in the next two events (doubles and team),” said a dejected Shahrukh Amin.

Malaysian keglers have ruled the roost in men’s singles in the last three editions, starting with Muhammad Rafiq Ismail winning in the 2015 Singapore and 2017 KL Games and Timmy Tan Chye Chern claiming the gold at the 2019 Philippines Games.

Meanwhile, in women’s singles, national bowlers Nerosha Keligit (1,249 pinfalls) and Gillian Lim Siew Geok (1,136 pinfalls) finished fifth and sixth respectively.

 Cherie Tan Shi Hua, the 2017 champion from Singapore, rolled down 1,442 pins to bag the gold medal, dethroning defending champion and compatriot New Hui Fen (1,319 pinfalls), who had to settle for bronze. Marie Alexis Sy (1,320 pinfalls) of the Philippines took home the silver.

Nerosha said she hopes to improve in the coming days, especially once she learns how to adjust quicker to the lane transitions.

The bowling competition continues tomorrow with the men’s and women’s doubles events.

-- BERNAMA