The Borneo Post Online (20.03.2011)

Sarawak keglers unexpected champions

by Ting Tieng Hee. Posted on March 21, 2011, Monday

KUCHING: Sarawak keglers performed beyond expectations to emerge as the overall champions of the Astro 24th Inter – State Bowling Championship that ended at Sunway Megalanes, Sunway Pyramid in Selangor last Saturday.

FRUITFUL OUTING: The Sarawak bowling team celebrate their victory after emerging overall team champions at the Astro 24th InterState Bowling Championship that ended at Sunway Megalanes, Sunway Pyramid in Selangor last Saturday. — Photo courtesy of Amateur Bowling Association of Sarawak

They captured four gold, two silver and one bronze medals to pip bowling giant Selangor by a silver medal for the top honour. This was a good improvement when compared to second overall finish last year with six silvers and one bronzes.

Selangor won four golds, one silver and five bronzes while third-placed Pulau Pinang had three golds, one silver and two bronzes and Sabah came in fourth with two golds, one silver and one bronze.

Another bowling powerhouse Kuala Lumpur could only manage one gold, four silvers and one bronze to settle for fifth.

Sarawak’s gold medals came from newly promoted national bowler Jacqueline Jenelee Sijore who won the Women’s Singles gold, Women’s Doubles gold with another national bowler Dayang Khairuniza Dhiyana Abg Jamalidon and the Women’s Team gold together with Dayang Khairuniza, Caroline Chien and Nurafidza Mohd Amran Nur.

The other gold was delivered by Dayang Khairuniza in the Women’s All-Events.

Jacqueline added a silver to her collection by finishing second in the Women’s All-Events while Christopher Tiong and Muhd Syafiq Sajeli contributed a silver from the Boys Doubles event.

The solitary bronze came from dropped national back-up bowler Aris Ardilla Santosoh who finished third in the Men’s Singles.

“This is a fantastic result for us because we brought along our second stringers for exposure and we beat Selangor by one silver,” said team manager Robert Lu in a telephone interview from Kuala Lumpur.

“I am very satisfied with the results and at the same time we gave our Sukma backup squad members the exposure trip and yet we won the overall championship. What more can we ask for,” he added.

Lu, who is also Amateur Bowling Association of Sarawak (Abas) deputy president, said the state team’s victory at the interstate championship was based on the strength of the women’s team.

Meanwhile, Sarawak also did well in the Astro 35th National Closed Championship where they won three golds, two silvers and one bronze.

Sukma XIII gold medallist Chong Jun Foo won the gold in the Boys Open, Daniel Tan captured the Men’s Graded gold while Caroline Chien took the Women’s Graded gold.

The silvers were delivered by Dayang Khairuniza in the Women’s Masters and Dayang Aida Natasha in the Girls Graded while Aris Ardilla bagged the Boys Open bronze.

The state team is trained by head coach Jackson Ting and his assistants Reginald Walter Anggas, Angelo Koay and Jeff Chin.

Abas deputy president Shaifulbahri Shukri was the assistant team manager.