Nepomuceno good for 10 more years

Four-time World Cup champion Rafael (Paeng) Nepomuceno owes his success in bowling to his father and first coach Angel. And, like a good son, at the 14th Asian Games in Busan, Paeng doesn’t fail to phone his father–who stayed home in Manila–before and after each match.

It’s a combination of fatherly and coaching advice that Angel, fondly called Pappy by his seven children, gives.

"Before Paeng left for Busan, I told him to be confident, to play his best," said Angel, 74. "It comes down to mental toughness in the end so I want him to think about the competition like the World Cup which he has won four times. We are in constant contact. Before each match, I even suggest the line of play, like which ball to attack–the seven or the 11 of whatever. I knew he would win at least a gold."

After Paeng and Rowen Jay Bautista rolled to the doubles gold the other day, the 6-2, 45-year-old lefthander called his father to break the good news.

"He was very excited," recounted Angel. "His voice was trembling. They were in danger for a while but they held on. Winning the gold in the Asian Games means a lot to Paeng. It’s something special because he’d never won a gold in the Asian Games. He was determined to prove he’s still a champion in his fourth decade of active competition. I think he’s good for another 10 years."

Paeng is entered in four events in Busan and if he qualifies, will play in a fifth, the Masters, tomorrow. He finished eighth in the singles and won a gold in the doubles. He is also playing in the trios and team-of-five. The scores of each bowler in every event will be tallied to determine the Masters qualifiers. Only two bowlers from each country will advance.

Alley conditions are being monitored by Kegel, a US company that produces the oiling machine for lanes, to guarantee fair play in Busan. In the last two Asian Games, it was suspected that lanes were deliberately slicked on the left side to diminish the power of a southpaw’s curve shots. "That’s why no lefthander ever qualified for the finals in 1994 and 1998," pointed out Angel who coached his son at the Hiroshima and Bangkok Asiads.

In 1994, Paeng brought home a silver in the team-of-five with Paolo Valdez, Rene Reyes, Angelo Constantino, and Jorge Fernandez. Virgilio (Jing) Sablan delivered the sport’s only medal, a bronze, in 1998.

Does he miss being at Paeng’s side in Busan?

"Of course, I miss the action but I’ve had to slow down because of my age," replied Angel. "Besides, Paeng is in good hands with Johnson Cheng and Purvis Granger. When he was training for the Asian Games in Manila, I still watched him once or twice a week to check on his game. I didn’t realize I would be more excited and more nervous at home than if I were in Busan."

Paeng’s doubles partner Bautista was only two years old when he topped his first World Cup in Tehran in 1976. "RJ grew up idolizing Paeng and after they won the gold, he thanked him for making his dream come true," continued Angel. "RJ told Paeng it was always his dream to compete as his partner. It was quite an experience because the gold was RJ’s first-ever in a tournament."

Angel said aside from being a bowling world champion, he is also a world champion as a son. "A father couldn’t ask anything more from a son," he added. "He is obedient and generous. He doesn’t quarrel with anyone. His behavior is exemplary. He doesn’t smoke. He doesn’t drink. He’s a good family man, a model husband and doting father to his three children. He is also very religious. He lives in front of a church and goes to Mass every day. When we were in Ireland for the World Cup in 1996, I would wait about 15 minutes and smoke outside the church after Mass because he prayed some more and lit candles in front of the altar. What led to Paeng’s gold in Busan? His strong determination, his discipline, and all our prayers."

While Paeng may be mild-mannered outside the alleys, he’s a raging bull at the lanes. "I remember some foreign journalists called Paeng a Jekyll and Hyde because of his transformation into a bull during competitions," said Angel. "During a tournament in Mexico in 1991, female journalists used to follow Paeng everywhere. Macho, pogi at sexy pa raw. I will admit he got his good looks from his mother Baby."

Paeng’s mother Teresita, or Baby, Villa-Real was a Miss Philippines in 1951. She is the daughter of the late Manolo Villa-Real, the dean of Filipino newspaper editors.

After the Asian Games, Angel said Paeng will continue to campaign in the Asian tour and shoot for a qualifying ticket to another World Cup.

"Paeng is ready to play in another World Cup," said Angel. "A few months ago, he won the Korean Open, beating some of the best from the US, Australia, and European countries. Last year, he won the Thailand leg of the Asian circuit. In 1999, he won his sixth world title, the Tenpin Masters, in England. He’s getting better with age and he’s showing how far an athlete can go in bowling with hard work and dedication."

A five-time Athlete of the Year awardee, Paeng received the prestigious International Olympic Committee President’s Trophy for his accomplishments in bowling although the sport isn’t in the Olympic calendar. At the International Bowling Hall of Fame in St. Louis, Missouri, there is a seven-foot photograph of Paeng in the entrance to the museum to honor his feat of winning the World Cup in three different decades, an achievement recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records.

It could be argued that Paeng is the greatest Filipino athlete ever.