Seasoned bowler Esther keeps chasing the spark with hope for a late strike

Bowler Esther Cheah, 21, in action at the Sunway Pyramid Bowl. The talented youngster won two gold medals at the Asian Games In Doha Last year.

PETALING JAYA: The pins may not be falling the way national bowler Esther Cheah wants them to this year, but she is far from throwing in the towel.

At 39, Esther who is still one of the backbones of the women’s team, is currently in the United States competing in the Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) Tour, with a mission to stay relevant in a sport that keeps getting younger and more competitive.

Things have not quite gone her way this season though, and Esther is the first to admit it.

“Bowling hasn’t been going well for me so far. Honestly, I’m quite disappointed with myself,” said Esther, who skipped the recent Hong Kong Open.

“But I’m not giving up yet. I’m using this short break to work on my game and hopefully something good will come out of it.”

While others may have called time, Esther’s hunger remains.

“I want to end my time here in Tour with better results, make more cuts, maybe even make a show,” she said.

A dream to compete again in the World Championships from Nov 24-Dec 5 in Hong Kong , which is the holy grail of any bowler’s calendar, is also keeping her on her toes.

Having tasted glory on that stage before, Esther said this year felt different.

“Worlds will always be important, no matter how many times or medals I’ve won,” she said.

Esther rolled down the singles gold at the 2005 world championships in Aalborg when she was 19, and was a member of the gold-medal winning team in 2007 (Monterrey) and 2017 (Las Vegas).

“But with how I’m performing this year, I can only keep my fingers crossed to make the team,” she said.

The 2006 Doha Asian Games singles champion, however, has proven many times that she is a fighter.

In 2023, she won a silver in the team event in Kuwait after coming back from a career-threatening knee injury and last year, she went on to win her first professional title at the Oklahoma Regional Tour.

So what fuels this enduring fire in her?

“Just sheer determination and willpower ... that’s really it.”

And even as she battles her own recent form, Esther hasn’t forgotten those who look up to her – the juniors waiting in the wings.

“Don’t give up. Your time to shine will come,” she said.

“It may not be today or tomorrow, but it will come. Stay patient, keep working, and trust the process. It’ll all be worth it in the end.”