RP keglers roll out of Asian masters events

HONG KONG – Filipino keglers failed to put the finishing touches to what had been an excellent showing in the 17th Asian Tenpin Bowling Championships, missing the finals in both the men’s and women’s masters in the final day of action at the SCAA Bowling Center here yesterday.

Youthful Liza Clutario tried but failed to reach the championship round of the women’s masters, losing by just two pins to Australia’s Kate Wilson, 3320-3318, for the third and last spot in the stepladder finals.

Liza del Rosario, one of only two double-gold medal winners in the week-long meet featuring the best bowlers from 22 Asian countries, also made headway but could only finish at sixth place with a total of 3275 pinfalls. Two notches lower was Ces Yap with her 3253 total.

The duo of Biboy Rivera (3231) and CJ Suarez (3187) placed 12th and 13th, respectively, in the men’s masters.

But with three gold medals, two by del Rosario and one by the tandem of Rivera and Chester King, a silver and two bronze medals, the RP squad finished a strong second behind Korea in the final standings, making the Filipino bowlers among the country’s medal hopefuls in the coming Asian Games in Busan, South Korea.

"This a nice prelude to the Asian Games. It’s something to look forward to," RP team coach Johnson Cheng told local newspapers here. "I don’t know when was the last time the Philippines won a gold in the Asiad. I can’t even remember."

Del Rosario won the women’s singles and all-events while Rivera and King bagged the men’s doubles. Rivera gave the country the silver medal in the men’s all-events while the two bronze medals were courtesy of Yap in the women’s all-events, and the women’s team of Del Rosario, Clutario, Yap, Irene Benitez-Garcia, team captain Jojo Canare and Kathlynn Ann Lopez.

Korea won the overall championship with five gold medals, including a 1-2 finish by Kim Sukyong and Cha Mijung in the women’s masters. Like del Rosario, it was Kim’s second gold medal following her triumph in the women’s trio.

Zhang Ye won the men’s masters over Korea’s Kim Jaehoon, giving China its first and only gold in the meet.

Other countries that won gold medals include United Arab Emierates (men’s singles), Japan (men’s trio) and Malaysia (women’s team).