Japan rules Asian senior bowling

MANILA, Philippines - Reigning champion Japan took two of the four gold medals at stake to dominate the singles event of the 10th Asian Senior Bowling Championship yesterday at the Green Valley Country Club in Pasig.

Japanese Tomokazu Maeda collected 1518 points in a six-game series to win the gold in the men’s senior singles and beat second placer Brenton Davy of Australia (1463) and Virgil Toledo of Guam (1429).

Compatriot Chikataka Iwai captured the men’s grand senior singles gold with 1481, followed by fellow Japanese Yukio Kato (1428) and Rob Zikman of Australia (1426) in the event endorsed by the Philippine Bowling Congress (PBC).

In the ladies seniors singles, New Zealand’s Ivena Heald grabbed the gold by hitting 1337. Susanne Jack of Australia earned the silver with 1333 and Honami Yanagawa of Japan the bronze with 1319.

The event was organized by the Philippine Senior Bowlers, headed by Steve Robles.

Barb Richmond of Australia ruled the ladies grand senior event with 1287, while fellow Aussie Val Porteous had 1197 for second. Kazume Koike of Japan got 1191 for third.

Japan, winner of the men’s and women’s senior (50-59 years old) and men’s and women’s grand senior (60 years and older) in 2007 at Suzuka, Japan, hopes to dominate also the men’s and ladies doubles, mixed and team events which will be played this week.

Filipino Egay Latag placed fourth in the men’s senior singles with 1378, while Danny Tuazon was 12th with 1334 in the men’s grand senior singles. Nelia Santos finished seventh with 1229 in the ladies seniors singles.