Veteran Rivera seeks bowling singles gold

INCHEON, South Korea – Two-time Asian Games gold medalist Biboy Rivera, who scored the first perfect 300 in a Masters final to win the 2006 World Championships, needed only  a few adjustments to get a feel of the Incheon lanes in his bid for a second consecutive Asian Games gold medal here.

“Started slow in practice. We’re not able to get the feel right away. Towards the middle and the end, the execution was okay, but we’re still trying to figure out the right matching of equipment and execution,” said Rivera after the official practice yesterday two days before the start of competitions at the Anyang Hogye gymnasium.

Rivera, winner of the 2006 world bowling championships, took the singles gold in the Guangzhou Games but right after the Asiad, he was disheartened at the disturbing news that the sport wouldn’t be included in the Incheon Games four years later.

When the Olympic Council of Asia finally relented, the Games included bowling last March, paving the way for the participation of the world class men’s and women’s bowling team which includes Benshir Layoso, Enrico Hernandez, Kenneth Frederick Ong and Jo-Mar Roland Jumapao (men) and Anne Marie Dianne Kiac, Krizziah Lyn Tabora, Liza Clutario, Liza del Rosario, Marian Posadas and Marie Alexis Sy.

Other members of the team were also in high spirits after familiarization with the lanes.

Clutario, who went through hell and high water to get to the airport and board the flight to Incheon at the height of Tropical Storm Mario Saturday, said she is in high spirits and even retold her story here to inspire fellow athletes.

Hernandez  had a bum stomach the last few days but was otherwise declared fit to compete last Monday.

“He responded well to our treatment. He was also given intravenous fluid to keep him hydrated. It’s good that he’s up and about,” said delegation medical specialist Ferdinand Brawner.

An entrée of duck meat served at the Athletes Village dining hall could have caused Hernandez’s ailment,” said Brawner.

“I’m all right, I’m ready to fight,” said Hernandez, who was to join the team’s last practice yesterday.