The World Bowling Writers, an international organization of tenpin bowling journalists and federation officers, has announced that bowling legend Rafael “Paeng” Nepomuceno of the Philippines is the recipient of their prestigious 2009 World Bowling Writers Mort Luby Jr. Distinguished Service Award.
The award will be presented to Nepomuceno when he competes in the World Tenpin Masters in Barnsley, England on April 17-19 against the world’s top 15 bowlers. The Filipino champion also won the event in 1999.
Although Nepomuceno’s bowling career is far from over and he is still a force to be reckoned with in international tournaments, he is now dedicating his time and talent to the sport, including coaching conferences, exhibitions and as an ambassador for the United States Bowling Congress.
In a message to Nepomuceno, World Tenpin Bowling Asssociation (WTBA) president, Kevin Dornberger said: “I offer my sincerest congratulations to Paeng Nepomuceno on being recognized for this prestigious award. Not only has he proven over the years to be a top-notch competitor, but he is also a world-class coach. I personally thank him for his contributions to bowling.”