Rafiq and Qurratu’Ain fight back from behind to lift national titles

Strong finish: Mohd Rafiq Ismail recovered from a slow start to win the crown.

PETALING JAYA: Mohd Rafiq Ismail and Qurratu’Ain Izdihar Mohd Pozi held their ground when it mattered most to claim the Malaysian Open men’s and women’s bowling titles after two riveting finals at the Sunway Megalanes yesterday.

Both keglers were pushed to the brink in their respective showdowns, surrendering their opening games before digging deep to win the decisive matches and secure their crowns.

Rafiq entered the final match against a fired-up Chong Jun Foo, who started full of momentum after dismantling the second seed from Singapore, Darren Ong 251-187 in the semi-finals.

The third-seeded Jun Foo took the opener 227-186 to put the top seed under early pressure. Rafiq, however, refused to buckle.

The Asian No. 1 responded with a commanding display in the decider, outscoring Jun Foo 255-225 in a high-quality second game to reclaim the title.

The women’s competition produced an almost identical dramatic finish. Top seed Qurratu’Ain faced second seed and national teammate Adania Redzwan, who had advanced to the final with a commanding 224-170 win over Macau’s Veronica Souza.

Adania wasted no time making her presence felt, stunning Qurratu’Ain with a dominant 232-145 victory in the opening game.

It appeared a major upset was in the making but the top seed steadied herself, regrouped, and delivered when it counted, claiming the decider 226-185 to retain her title.

A visibly moved Qurratu’Ain reflected on what the victory meant to her.

“I’m truly honoured and grateful to win this championship. It’s been an incredible journey, and I couldn’t have done it without the support of my coaches, who always believed in me and pushed me to give my very best,” she said.

“I’d also like to thank my teammates, family, and everyone who supported me along the way. This win motivates me to keep working hard and striving for even better results.”