Sarawak bowling enters digital era

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Ong (fourth right, front row) with Gus (third right), Abas deputy president Shaifulbahri Shukri (fifth right), Lu (third right, second row) and the bowlers and coaches after launching the Specto and Torch digital coaching equipment.

KUCHING: Amateur Bowling Association of Sarawak (Abas) are keeping up with the digital technology by bringing in the Kegel ‘Specto and Torch’ digital coaching equipment into the state.

Abas vice president Robert Lu said the association had proposed to the state government to install Specto and Torch before Sukma XIX in Perak in September this year.

“It has finally arrived and I strongly believe that it will bring the standard of Sarawak bowling to a higher level,” he said after the launching of the new equipment by Sarawak Sports Corporation chief executive officer Dr Ong Kong Swee at Megalanes Sarawak, Batu Kawa yesterday.

“It will also give us a further advantage over our rivals and keep us on par with Selangor and Penang who have the equipment in place before us,” Lu pointed out.

According to him, Specto and Torch detects and tracks ball motion down the lane with precision and can read ball speed, ball revolution, entry angle, break point and so on.

“It can help us retrieve the data collected from an i-phone, i-pad or computer for coaches to analyse errors. In the past, we relied on our coaches’ ‘naked eye’ and judgement to identify the athlete’s physical game.

“But with this equipment, it can be retrieved and played back in slow motion, and also records all data from the execution of every shot.

“Young athletes can learn faster from the visual aid,” added Lu.

Ong said Specto and Torch was part and parcel for a high performance centre whereby advanced sports technology is used to increase performance at all levels from development to elite.

“The Specto and Torch programme will be useful to both the players and coaches. It is a right move for us to use sports technology in moving forward in our aim to be tenpin bowling powerhouse.

“The data and information feedback from the analysis will assist a lot to the advancement and achievement of the sport.

“This programme will also help to develop the technical people in tenpin bowling,” added Ong.

Meanwhile, about 30 state junior and Sukma players, coaches as well as para bowlers and their coaches attended a briefing session conducted by Kegel vice president of sales Gus Falgien.

Also present was Kegel Asia/Pacific Rim Special Sales and Marketing representative Robert W Dong.