MOA to bid for Bowling World Cup?

MANILA, Philippines - Six-time world champion Paeng Nepomuceno recently bared plans for the Mall of Asia to bid for the hosting of next year’s World Cup involving at least 90 countries and said he’ll join the eliminations to play for the country in the tournament that brought him to the Guinness Book of Records.

Nepomuceno, 57, said he’ll try out for the men’s slot in the 50th edition of the World Cup this year. A participating country is entitled to a male and a female competitor. “It’s too late for us to bid for this year’s event,” said Nepomuceno. “As of now, there is still no venue and countries are still bidding. Eliminations for our representatives will be held in September as the tournament is usually in November. I will definitely join the eliminations. Over 90 countries usually participate to as many as 110.”

In 1976, Nepomuceno won the World Cup at 19 and entered the Guinness Book as the youngest ever to win the title. He also topped the World Cup in 1980, 1992 and 1996, once more entering the Guinness Book as the only bowler to win four titles in three different decades. Today, Nepomuceno has collected over 125 career titles from all over the world and the feat is also in the Guinness Book as the most championships won by a single bowler.

At the recent launch of SM Lifestyle Entertainment, Inc., Nepomuceno said the MOA’s bowling facility with 32 lanes is a perfect venue for the World Cup. SM Prime Holdings president Hans Sy and SM Lifestyle Entertainment president Ed Tejerero said the lanes should be ready to welcome the World Cup next year.

Nepomuceno said AMF Puyat Sports, owned by his father-in-law Jose (Popit) Puyat, has set up bowling centers in seven SM malls in North EDSA, Megamall, MOA, Valenzuela, Fairview, Cebu and Hamilo Cove. The lanes and balls come from AMF (American Machine and Foundry) in Richmond, Virignia, the world’s largest operator of bowling centers since 1946. AMF Puyat Sports engineer Gilbert Gavino is in charge of laying out the bowling lanes.

Aside from the SM Malls, AMF Puyat Sports has set up high-end bowling facilities in Imus, Eastwood Mall and Robinson’s Malate called Paeng’s. Nepomuceno said the Astrobowl in Magallanes, host of the 1975 World Cup, has been transferred to the Metropolis Star Mall in Alabang with 52 lanes.

“At MOA, there is a plan to put up one or two practice bowling lanes somewhere accessible to passers-by so everyone gets a chance to throw a ball,” said Nepomuceno. “It’s a way to generate more interest in bowling, like an interactive promotion. We don’t want to pre-empt MOA’s plan but we’re very excited about this development because it will definitely promote bowling.”

Nepomuceno said he still hasn’t given up on his chase for a fifth World Cup in a fourth decade. “I practice on the lanes twice or thrice a week for an hour but I spend more time in the gym now, staying fit and working out an hour four days a week,” he said.

Nepomuceno is now in the US to receive his gold-level coaching certification and award during the World Coaching Conference at the International Training and Research Center of the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) in Arlington, Texas. “Paeng is one of the most respected competitors in the history of bowling and he continues to give back to the sport through coaching,” said USBC managing director Neil Stremmel. “He is committed to teaching coaches throughout the world and we’re pleased to have him join the elite rank of USBC gold coaches.”

Nepomuceno has teamed with USBC for over seven years to promote the sport and has taught Level 1, bronze and silver seminars throughout the world. USBC director of coaching certification and development Carolyn Dorin-Ballard said the World Coaching Conference on March 27-31 is in cooperation with the World Tenpin Bowling Association and will assemble coaches from 20 countries. “It will give coaches an opportunity to see what is being taught worldwide,” she said. “Many international and domestic coaches will be presenting the latest informative material that will help increase the knowledge of coaches.”

  â€œI am the first and only Asian to achieve this level and it is much like achieving a PhD in coaching and there are only 25 gold level coaches around the world,” said Nepomuceno who left for Arlington last Tuesday and is due back in Manila on May 5. He is the latest to be conferred the gold level certification. Nepomuceno’s life-size likeness greets visitors of the International Bowling Hall of Fame and Museum in Arlington. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993 and received the International Olympic Committee President’s Award in 1999, a distinct honor since bowling is not an Olympic sport.