Bowlers hit gutter for second straight day

For the second straight day, the RP men’s and women’s bowling teams came up empty in their bid for the gold, settling for the silver medals in the team-of-five event in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games at the Pearl Bowling Center in Parañaque City.

The crack Malaysian men’s team of Daniel Lim Tow Chuang, Aaron Kong Eng Huan, Ben Heng Boon Hian, Alex Liew Kien Liang and Zulkifli Zulmazran combined for 6781 pinfalls (1118, 1117, 1116, 1131, 1218, 1081) to bag the gold.

The Philippines, meanwhile, composed of CJ Suarez, Joonie Gatchalian, Markwin Tee, Chester King and Biboy Rivera/Tyrone Ongpauco pooled a six-game series of 1130, 1046, 1125, 1154, 1165, 1047 for 6667 to earn the silver medal.

Singapore’s Lee Yu Wen, Goh Heng Soon, Terence Tan Siong Koon, Jason Yeong Nathan and Remy Ong copped the bronze medal with 6385 pinfalls on a six-game series of 1048, 1084, 1083, 1035, 966 and 1169.

"We played good but the Malaysians really played well tonight. You have to give them credit," RP assistant coach Sixto Sengson said.

Suarez bowled a perfect game in the first game of the second block (short oil) but that proved not enough as the Malaysians sustained their fine form to dominate the event.

In women’s play, the "Fab Five" of Wendy Chai De Choo, Esther Cheah Mei Lan, Crystal Choy Poh Lai, Lai Kin Ngoh and Zandra Aziela seized control early and went on to roll 6445 pins and complete a Malaysian sweep of the event. They had a six-game series of 1064, 1190, 1054, 1051, 1080, 1006.

The Philippines’ Liza del Rosario, Cecilia Yap, Josephine Canare, Liza Clutario and Elaine Florencio combined for 6325 from a six-game series of 1037, 1072, 949, 1134, 1065, 1068 to clinch the silver medal. — Paolo Mariano