THE Philippine Bowling Federation (PBF) is targeting gold in next year’s Southeast Asian Games following an impressive showing in the IBF Super World Championships in Dubai recently.
PBF secretary general Bong Coo said hopes are high that the men’s and women’s team will be able to deliver in the SEA Games in May after a Dubai performance that saw the squad achieve a podium finish despite limitations in training.
The national bowlers only trained for a few weeks due to the closure of bowling lanes when Metro Manila was under a strict quarantine in the lead-up to the Dubai tilt.
“Ngayon, ang target namin is to really deliver the gold for the country kasi alam kong kayang-kaya namin,” said Coo during Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum. “Bilib ako sa mga bagong set of players namin. Marami pa naman kami.”
SEA Games gold drought
The men’s team of Patrick Nuqui, Merwin Tan, Ken Chua, and Ian Dychangco and the women’s team of Rachelle Leon, Mades Arles, Uella Marcial, and Norel Nuevo finished with a bronze medal in a grueling competition that lured entries from 34 nations.
The Philippines hasn’t won a bowling gold in the SEA Games since Frederick Ong, now retired, won the singles title in 2011.
In the previous SEA Games, the country won a silver courtesy of the men’s team of Tan, Nuqui, Chua, and Ong, and a bronze from the women’s team in Alexis Sy, Liza Del Rosario, Lara Posadas, and Bea Hernandez.
Coo said the national team will train early for the SEA Games.
“We will start training January. Kapag hindi nagbago schedule ng Vietnam, dapat ‘yung four months bugbog sarado ang ensayo,” said the Philippine sports hall of famer.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
