Hernandez settles for 5th in Asian School bowl

MANILA, Philippines - Bea Hernandez of Philippines Team A rolled a perfect game but failed to sustain her charge and settled for fifth in the girls’ singles of the 16th Asian School Tenpin Bowling Championship yesterday at South China Athletic Association Bowling Center in Hong Kong.

Lurking at 18th spot early on, Hernandez came through with a 300 in the fourth game and followed it up with a hot 257 to seize a four-pin lead against Korea B’s Kim Jin Ju going into the sixth and last game.

But the Filipina succumbed to pressure and limped with a low 192 in her final game to kiss her medal aspirations goodbye.

Hernandez finished the six-game series with 1291 pinfalls, 31 off the winning 1322 of Korea A’s Kim Dong Yo, who closed out with a 263 to secure the mint. Jin Ju, who posted 218 in the final game for 1313 overall, made it a 1-2 finish for the Koreans while Malaysia’s Nora Lyana Natasia took the bronze with 1305.

Asian Youth doubles bronze medalist Ivan Malig of Phl A also failed to crack the podium as he wound up sixth in boys’ singles.

Malig started with a 259 but couldn’t match the high output in the next five games to finish with 1315.

Korea A’s Kim Jung Tae capped his series with 257 and 228 to win the gold medal with his 1421 card. Japan’s Ren Sameshima (1359) placed second while Qatar A’s Jaseem Al Muraikhi (1347) ended up third.

The other Pinoy bets in the 16-member contingent didn’t fare well, landing in the mid-30s and high 50s in the boys’ and girls’ competitions.