Malig, jr bowlers eye slot in world youth tiff

MANILA, Philippines - A week after two runner-up finishes in the last 16th Asian School Tenpin Bowling Championships in Hong Kong, the Philippine Junior Bowling team is eyeing a strong finish in the 14th World Youth Championship next year in Nebraska, USA.

Ivan Malig, 17, who took home the silver medal in the boys’ masters and boys’ team-of-four, says their performance will definitely serve as inspiration to work harder and pursue his dream.

“We just came up short for a gold but those two silver finishes will give us enough courage to play better in the international competition next time,” said Malig, a student of the University of the Philippines.

“If given a chance next year, I’m willing to become part of the Philippine delegation in the 14th World Youth Championship in Nebraska, USA,” he added.

Malig lost to Singapore’s Kuek Qi En in the two-game title showdown (183-216) to settle for silver in the boys’ masters event. Malig and teammates Cebuano GJ Buyco, rookie international campaigner Louis Cantorna and Merwin Tan took the silver in the boys’ team.

The nationals stood at ninth place after the first block of three games, in the boys’ team event, but they rolled 880 on the fourth game to advance to sixth place. Their 952 and 868 scores in the fifth and sixth game catapulted them to second place.

Overall, the Phl junior team scored a six-game series of 5062  for second behind Japan (5174).

Bea Hernandez nailed her first career perfect game in the fourth game of the girls’ singles event. She eventually took the lead after rolling a 257 in the fifth game. However, her 192 on the last game was enough to keep her in the top three as her opponents rolled big games in the homestretch. Hernandez finished fifth with a 1291 series.

Korea’s Kim Dong Yo and Kim Jin Ju won the gold and silver in the girls’ singles, while Nora Natasia of Malaysia and Japanese Shion Izumune placed third and fourth, respectively.