PETALING JAYA: Rafiq Ismail (pic) rolled off to a fantastic start and it has whetted his appetite for more medals.
On the first day of competition in the Asian Championships in Hong Kong, the 25-year-old left-handed kegler claimed a silver medal in the singles at the SCAA Bowling Centre yesterday. He rolled down 1,579 pins in six games to take the medal.
South Korea’s Kim Dong-hyeon was the gold medallist with 1,605, while Rafiq’s teammate Ahmad Muaz Fishol settled for bronze (1,575).
A brimming Rafiq revealed that this was the first time he had won a singles medal in the Asian Championships.
“I didn’t expect the silver because Muaz had led all the contest, but in the last game, he faltered. I kept my pace, but still didn’t expect to finish second best,” he said.
“I’m very relaxed and hopefully on track to many more medals in Hong Kong.”
Syafiq Ridhwan Abdul Malek and Timmy Tan finished fourth and fifth with 1,562 and 1,575 respectively.
Another two teammates, Syazirol Shamsuddin (1,489) and Tun Ameerul Hakim Tun Hasnul Azam (1,457) finished 12th and 21st.
There was more cheer at the lanes as Natasha Roslan also took silver in the women’s singles with a score of 1,476. Singapore’s Cherie Tan won the gold with 1,525 while South Korea’s Hwang Yeon-ju claimed bronze (1,459).
Nora Lyana Nastasia Kamal was the second-best Malaysian finisher with sixth place (1,418).
MEN
Singles: 1. Kim Dong-hyeon (Kor) 1,605, 2. Rafiq Ismail (Mas) 1,579, 3. Ahmad Muaz Fishol (Mas) 1,575
Selected: 4. Syafiq Ridhwan Abdul Malek 1,562, 5. Timmy Tan 1,575, 12. Syazirol Shamsuddin 1,489, 21. Tun Ameerul Hakim Tun Hasnul Azam 1,457
WOMEN
Singles: 1. Cherie Tan (Sin) 1,525, 2. Natasha Roslan (Mas) 1,476, 3. Hwang Yeon-ju (Kor) 1,459
Selected: 6. Nora Lyana Nastasia Kamal 1,418, 14. Sin Li Jane 1,412, 19. Puteri Nurul Dini Mohd Faudzi 1,328, 26. Gillian Lim 1,274, 27. Esther Cheah 1,273.
