Rafiq looking ahead after good year

PETALING JAYA: It has been a fruitful season for teen bowler Mohd Rafiq Ismail.

The 16-year-old has won two Open titles this year. 

“I can say that this is the year that I improved a lot. I won the Philippines Open for my first international Open title in November. Then, I won the Penang Pesta International Open crown (Dec 15),” said Rafiq, who caught the attention of the bowling fraternity by winning the boys’ Open title at the Milo International Junior All-Stars in 2011.

For Rafiq, the major highlight for him this year was reaching the step-ladder finals of the International Bowling Championships (IBC) in Nagoya, Japan, in January. The tournament was part of the World Bowling Tour (WBT) calendar. 

“It was the first tournament of the year for me. I didn’t expect to go that far in the presence of many Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) bowlers. It was almost surreal to me, but I managed to keep it steady and finished third in the competition,” said Rafiq, who was a member of the national team for the World Championships in Nevada, the United States, in August.

As for next year, Rafiq is looking to find a perfect balance between bowling and studies. He will sit for his Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) at the end of the year. 

“In bowling, the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, in September is a big event for us. There is also the World Youth Championships in Hong Kong in August. 

“I’m already working hard to balance bowling and study right now. I guess I just have to work harder next year to achieve the balance,” said the SMK Bukit Indah student.