Spiced-up Gillian raves about enriching experience of touring the US

Gillian Lim is all set to lead Sarawak's campaign at the Perak Sukma

PETALING JAYA: The first thing that national bowler Gillian Lim (pic) will do after returning home from the United States is to enjoy ‘Ayam Gepuk’ – a dish featuring tender chicken marinated in spices.

“I missed all the spicy food during my stay in the US. I will go for Ayam Gepuk for sure,” said Gillian, who spent about two months competing in several Professional Women Bowling Association (PWBA) tournaments.

Gillian certainly deserves a big treat after spicing up the professional Tour in only her first year experiencing the high-quality competition on the lanes.

In the last tournament at the Tour last week, she came close to reaching the top four stepladder finals but had to settle for the seventh spot with 11,784 pinfalls after winning 14 out of 24 matchplay games in the US Women Open in Lincoln, Nebraska.

She won US$8,600 (RM36,500) but more than money, the experience was priceless for Gillian.

She had competed in seven tournaments in the Tour and managed four top 15 finishes. She came in fifth at the Rock ‘n Roll Open, ninth at the Bowlers Journal Waterloo Open and 15th at the PWBA Topeka Open.

“Competing in the US pro Tour for the first time has been such a valuable experience for me,” said Gillian, who won the Malaysian Open and national title last year.

“The most crucial lesson I’ve learned is the importance of consistency – not just in physical performance, but also in mental strength.

“Every match taught me how vital it is to stay composed and trust the process, even when the pressure is high. I’m definitely taking these lessons home and working even harder for what’s next.”

Gillian also had to handle a tough schedule as they moved from one leg to another but it has helped her to pace herself well.

“There wasn’t really much time to do anything as the schedule was packed. But after the US Open ended, I stayed a couple of day to explore and unwind a little.

Her first tournament when she gets back home will be the Thailand Open in Bangkok from July 11-24.

“I will have some time to prepare but the main goal is to win a spot in the World Cham­pionships (Nov 24-Dec 6 in Hong Kong) this year,” she added.