Singapore’s bowlers show mettle at Sarawak International Open

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Ahmad Safwan (left) and Nikhil Gangaran pose after winning the Youth Masters and Classified Masters titles yesterday.

KUCHING: Bowlers from Singapore stamped their supremacy in the Sarawak International Open Tenpin Bowling Championship at Magalanes Sarawak Batu Kawa yesterday by sweeping the Youth Masters and Classified Masters titles.

A member of the Singapore national training squad, Ahmad Safwan won his first Youth Masters title here when he knocked down 1,885 pins over eight games.

Malaysia’s Muhammad Razydan Ismail, who represented Kuala Lumpur, finished in second with 22 pins as Amateur Tenpin Bowling Association of Sarawak (Abas) bowler Mohd Uzair Irsyad Noor Azrul took third spot with his score of 1,853 pins.

Other Sarawakians who finished in the top 20 were Sukma bowler Christopher Tiong (1,805) in sixth place and Nerosha Keligit Thiagarajan (1,732) in 18th spot.

“I feel very happy about my performance today because winning the Youth Masters is not easy.

“The Malaysians and foreigners put up a good fight.

“I just go along with the floor and bowled without pressure,” said Ahmad, who is the first reserve for today’s Open finals.

Meanwhile, Nikhil Gangaran showed his bowling mettle to win the Classified Masters final, scoring a total of of 2,302 pins over eight games, an average of 230 pins per game.

Ex-national youth and ex-Sarawak Sukma bowler Chong Jun Foo finished second with 2,190 pins and Haziq Sahli was third with 2,179 pins.

Abas representatives also put on a good show to finish among the top 20, with Ervin Lim and Morgan Chang in sixth and seventh spots with 2,147 pins and 2,130 pins respectively.

The 14th to 17th finishers were Gillian Lim, Anthony Luang Cheng, Mohd Nur Syafiq Mohd Amran and Musayyar Khalid.

Nikhil, 19, who is in the Singapore National Service, said it was an unexpected win for him as he came to Kuching with the goal of finishing in the top 10.

“This is the first time I am competing in Kuching, Sarawak. I have won in Kuala Lumpur and Penang,” said Nikhil who won a youth title in Penang three years ago.

“I came here by myself and with my friends and it has been a very good trip for me so far. I also hope to do well in the Open finals tomorrow,” he added.

Meanwhile, 40 qualifiers will play in today’s Open final where 23 Malaysians have successfully made the cut.

They include national keglers like Shalin Zulkifli, Rafiq Ismail, Syafiq Ridhwan, Alex Liew, Adrian Ang and Timmy Tan.

Shouldering Sarawak’s challenge are Chong Jun Foo, Nerosha Keligit, Christopher Tiong, Muhd Nur Syafiq, Mohd Uzair and national youth bowler Brandon Ting.