Pinoy bowlers ready for golden return in SEAG

After failing to compete in the Southeast Asian Games two years ago, the national bowling team is more than happy to be back in the 23rd edition of the meet the country is hosting later this month.

And the Filipino keglers vow to make the most out of their return stint.

Bowlers Biboy Rivera, Ces Yap and SEA Games rookies Markwin Tee and Elaine Florencio are one in saying that the team is ready to surpass the three gold medals it won in the 2001 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games - the last time the sport was played in the region’s biggest sports spectacle.

Bowling was not included in the 2003 edition of the meet.

"We’re not committing anything, but our meager goal is to better our performance during the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games four years ago," said Rivera in yesterday’s PSA Forum at the main function room of the Pantalan Restaurant in Manila.

"We’ve prepared hard and practiced all-year round. We’re ready in our comeback stint in the SEA Games," he added.

Yap, one of the women’s trio that won the gold in the 2003 World Tenpin Championships together with Liza del Rosario and Liza Clutario, said the nationals are just as capable of winning as they did in 2001.

"Four years ago, the team was already strong. Four years after, the team has become even stronger," said the good-looking bowler, who underwent surgery earlier this year.

Both the men and women’s teams are competing in five events - singles, doubles, trios, masters and five-man - with a total of 10 golds at stake.

As always Malaysia and Singapore stand in the path of the Filipino bowlers.

"Malaysia is really the threat especially the men’s team since five out of the top eight Asian players today are Malaysians," said Rivera.

Yap and Florencio are unaware if former world women’s champion Zhalin Zulkifli will be playing for Malayisa.

"Even then, kahit hindi siya (Zulkifli) kasama, malakas pa rin `yung team nila," said the 20-year old Florencio.