Timmy Tan wins Pahang leg to secure first back to back victory

(Report by Tony Lim)

Timmy Tan of Kuala Lumpur upset Perak’s Muhd Fazrin bin Khairul Faizi to win the boys open division in the Pahang Leg of the National Junior Tenpin Bowling Circuit and became the only back to back winner in this year’s circuit.

Timmy who finished in fourth place after the 2 block of 14 games had to win his group match scoring 203 and 207 in the 2 games quarter finals which set him up to face the top seed Qalif Adnor bin Adam of Kuala Lumpur in which he easily disposed Qalif with 172-170 and 267 – 201 win.

Then Timmy had to face season campaigner Muhd Fazrin of Perak in the finals which should have been an easy match for Fazrin when he took the first game 188 -158. But when a lapse of concentration happens, Fazrin allowed Timmy to level the match with a 178 -162 win for Timmy. In the deciding game, it was clear that Fazrin never recovered his focus and gave the match away losing 137 – 185. But it was a well deserved win for Timmy as he had work very hard on his game to build his confidence and now eyes for a place in the GP Finals of the National Junior Tenpin Bowling Circuit.

Nor Syazanah Rosli of Perak also created an upset when she beat compatriot Nur Syamimi Supardi in 2 games, 161 -146, 177-142 in the best of 3 games finals in the girls open division. Earlier Nor Syazanah had dispatch of local favourtie Farah Izzazaya Mohd. Fariq of Pahang 192-167, 177-142 in the 1 + 1, repercharge format for the semi finals.

In the boys graded division, it was a titanic tussle all the way when Mohd Fayyadh bin Alias of Negeri Sembilan engaged Adam Rahimi of Kelantan in a tooth and nail battle to wrest the title and heaved a sigh of relieve after the victory. Mohd Fayyadh lost the first game 216 -257 and looks as if the boat is veering away. But the plucky lad hung in with all tenacity to claim a narrow win in the second game with 206 -202 to level the match and stay on even keel.

In the deciding game, it was still touch and go affair but Fayyadh sensing that Adam Rahimi was losing steam he push forward with all the energy that was left and stay on course to secure the victory with a 194 -181 win and raised his arms in utter relieve.

Siti Nurzulaika bt Ismail of Kuala Lumpur had to fight all the way to secure victory in the girls graded division. Siti who finished third after two blocks of 14 games had to grind it out in the group match and won with 349 pinfalls for the 2 games quarter final match.

Siti then had to faced local lass Faten Najihah Ahmad Faik of Pahang in the semi finals played on 1+1 format which she won convincingly scoring 189-161, 230 -184 leaving Faten Najihah to just shrugged her shoulders in the “one of those days situation.” Next Siti had to face Farah Zakiah Khairul Anuar, another Pahang lass who had the crowd behind her.

But the plucky Siti knew what was in store and was prepared for an uphill battle. In the first game both bowlers tied on 170 but Siti won the game on a 1 throw tie breaker. Farah was clearly upset and took command of the second game when she won the game with a 245 -191 score and level the match. In the decider both bowlers started aggressively trying to gain an advantage but the strategy did not work for both bowlers and it was Siti who had made fewer mistakes won by a 2 pins margin.

The finals was delayed due to a sudden power interruption which occurred on Saturday night and the organizers had decided that the boys and girls division second block be played on Sunday morning rather than continue on Saturday night when the power was restored which meant that the bowlers will have to endure a grueling game which was expected to finish at around 4 am. Thankfully it was the right call for the bowlers to play on Sunday morning albeit a little delay.

Champions of the 4th Leg crowned

Timmy Tan (KUL) in the Boys Open Category, Nor Syazana Rosli (PRK) in the Girls Open Category, Mohd Fayyadh (NSE) in the Boys Graded Category, Siti Nurzulaika (KUL) in the Girls Graded Category, Afiq Irsyaduddin (PRK) in the Boys Under-12 Category and Ayra Nur Jehan (SEL) in the Girls Graded Category. These 6 bowlers have 1 thing in common....they outdid their opponents to emerge champions in the recent Pahang Leg.

For Timmy, this is his second title of the year. He also won the KL Leg which makes his success in Pahang a repeated feat or more accurately, back-to-back win. He will be making an appearance next week in the Singapore Sports School Under-18 Competition.

Syazana's achievement was her first this year in the Open Category. However, it is not her first achievement playing on these lanes. 2 years ago, when she was playing in the Girls Graded Category she claimed the Grand Prix title which was held here in Kuantan Megalanes.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL WINNERS!!! The next circuit will be held in Johor after the SUKMA. To all those participating in the SUKMA, All the Best and to those who are not participating, grab this chance to watch it in Melaka but don't forget to train for the Johor Leg. The Johor Leg will be the 5th out of 7 legs in Peninsular Malaysia therefore, it is time for you to catch up in the GP points if you still want a chance to qualify for the Grand Prix.

Syazana and Timmy showing off their medals.

Ayra Nur Jehan sets the pace in Girls Under-12 division

(Report by Tony Lim)

Boys Under-12 Top 3

Girls Under-12 Top 3

Two time winner of the Under-12 Girls division, Ayra Nur Jehan of SK Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor once again took the lead and look set to add a third title to her credit when she registered a total of 1034 pinfalls to average 172 for the six game block.

Nurin Nabilah bt Roslan of Negeri Sembilan had to settle for second placing with 943 pinfalls while Shasreen Nadia Teh bt Sharul Hafiz Teh of Kuala Lumpur Megalanes taking the third spot with 922 pinfalls.

At the moment Ayra is the hot favorite for the title and she showed her mettle by taking the lead with a massive margin form her nearest competitor. Although she was frustrated by the numerous pins standing whenever she delivered her ball to the pocket, she kept her composure by sparing and just hanging in there throughout the event.

“I have been practicing quite a bit and part of my routine was to pick up as many spares as I could and that came in handy when everybody was facing the same problem so I just stuck to my game plan by sparing and hoped that the strikes came.” said Ayra.

“I saw Siti Safiyah Amirah played in the World Cup last year in Melaka and was very impress with her composure and style and hope that one day I will be able to don the National colors. I know that everyone in the elite team have put in a lot of hard work and sacrifices to get where they are and I am prepared to go to that length to achieve my aspirations.”

Afiq Irsyaduddin bin Baharuddin of Perak took the pole position in the Boys Under-12 with 1111 pinfalls for a six game average of 185 while Muhd Nur Hasarizq Zainal Abidin of Selangor came in second with 1081 pinfalls with Ahamd Danial Aizat Najib of Kelantan on third place with 957 pinfalls.

In the Girls Open division, Nur Syamimi Supardi of Perak took command of the section with 1520 pinfalls to average 190 for the eight game block while Nur Shamira Abdul Manaf of Megalanes Shah Alam took the second spot with 1465 pinfalls with Nazira Bt Zakaria of Pahang taking the third spot on 1456 pinfalls.

Muhd Fazrin bin Khairul Faizi was the only bowler to break the 200 mark in the Boys Open division when he scored games of 206, 165, 217, 244, 154, 191, 227 and 235 for a total of 1639 pinfalls for an average of 204 for the eight game block while compatriot Teh Lit Qing had to settle for second place with 1590 pinfalls after falling behind on the last game with 160 low game. Qalif Adnor bin Adam did well to secure third spot with 1587 pinfalls to average 198.

In the Boys Graded division, Abdul Basit bin Mohd of Bandar Penawar Sports School took command on settling down, scoring games of 200, 226, 206, 239, 195, 185, 205 and 194 for a total of 1650 pinfalls to average 206 for the eight games block and now needs to keep the momentum going in the next round to secure the top spot for an advantage in the finals.

Students from Bandar Penawar Sports School have been doing well in the National Junior Circuit this year and one of the primary reason is the commitment of the school’s coaches who have been constantly upgrading their knowledge and coaching skills which augurs well for the school’s vision of producing top athletes.

Edmund John Sibert of Kuala Lumpur sprang a surprise when he took the second place with a score of 1523 pinfalls to average 190 and that could well be his best showing to date while Mohd Shafiq Aiman bin Saharuddin of Kelantan settle for third with 1519 pinfalls.

Although most of the SUKMA bound bowlers from most of the states were noticeably absent from this event, it did not steal the luster which has always seen keen competition and consistent number of participants which numbered about 300 in this circuit.

Faten Najihah leads in the Round 1 of the Girls Graded

(Report by Tony Lim)

Local lass Faten Najihah bt Ahmad Faik took the lead after the first block of 8 games in the Girls Graded division of the National Junior Circuit where she scored a total of 1507 pinfalls to average 188. Fatin’s best performance in the National Junior Circuit has been a third placing in Perak and she is hoping to win on home soil this time around.

From left, Liew Li Jian (KUL), Anessa Asyira (NSE), Faten Najihah (PAH)

“She is sharpening her skills during training and has a better mental game and I am very proud of her performance right now especially that we are going into the final lap of our training before the SUKMA. The performances of our bowlers in this circuit will help us to assess what we need to concentrate on before we leave for Melaka,” said Mohd Fariq Shamsudin, the Pahang coach for the SUKMA Tenpin Bowling Team.

Anessa Asyira bt Abas of Negeri Sembilan took second position with an average of 187 for a total of 1496 pinfalls. Anessa was a model of consistency having a good start with 229 and was never trouble throughout, with her strength being in sparing and only with a poor a 169 on the last game.

Liew Li Jian of Kuala Lumpur who has been practicing diligently the last few weeks proved that hard work does pay when she took the third spot in the field of 49 graded girls’ bowlers with a creditable average of 185 to score 1483 pinfalls. Li Jian could have secured a better average if she had not started off badly with score of 157 and 169.

But the amount of effort she put into practice reminded her that she must be patient and she finished with a flourish, scoring 204, 213 and 213 on the last 3 games to justify her place for the next round. “Li Jian really wanted to do well in this tournament and she has been putting in a lot of practice and I guess it pretty well paid off for her and I am so happy. I will continue to support her so long as she has the determination and desire to do well and I know that success does not come easy,” said her father Liew Kok Wah.

The oiling distant for the Pahang leg is 36 feet with a slight positive blend in the middle of the lanes which should give the ball a better back end reaction. But what confused the bowlers was that the back end was not as sharp as it should be and the cause was due to the fact the lanes at Kuantan Megalanes was recently been re-sanded and cleaning the back ends thoroughly will affect the coating in the long run.

Bowlers will then have to adapt themselves to mild back end or get a ball that will be more aggressive at the back end. The newer pins that were used for this circuit could be another contributing factor to the frustration of the bowlers but I believe this will be a good time for them to practice on newer pins as the pins used for the SUKMA in Melaka will also be new.

Results of the Girls Graded Round 1 is available for download in the "Downloads" Box.

Pahang Notice 3 - Amended Schedule + Squad Allocation

Pahang Leg Notice 2 - Hotel Rates and Reservations

Please see below for the list of hotels available for the upcoming Pahang Leg. Both hotels are within 5 minutes walking distance to the bowling alley.

MS GARDEN HOTEL, KUANTAN

Deluxe Single
RM193.00nett per room per night with breakfast for 1 pax

Deluxe Twin
RM216.00nett per room per night with breakfast for 2 pax

*Rooms are subject to availability upon making reservation.*




HOTEL GRAND CONTINENTAL, KUANTAN

Single/Twin Deluxe
RM160.00 nett per room per night with breakfast for 1-2 pax
(2 single bed)

Single/Twin Deluxe
RM140.00 nett per room per night without breakfast.
(2 single bed)


For reservations, please call En. Fariq (Castello) at 012-9287077.

Pahang Leg Notice 1 - Competition Schedule (Subject to Changes)

A first for KL Leg Champions

The 4 champions showing off their hard earned medal.

All 4 Champions of the KL Leg were firsts, firsts in coming out tops in their respective categories. Congratulations to Timmy Tan (KUL), Natasha Roslan (SEL), Mohd Syafiq Aiman (KEL) and Norsyamimi Sarfa (KUL). For 3 of them, it was also their first time in the Top 8 and I'm sure, as Norsyamimi, the Girls Graded Champion expressed, "I was nervous", the same was felt by the other 2.

As for Natasha, her win this time was a first in the Open Category. She has had her fair share of glory in the Girls Under-12 Category in 2008 and in the Girls Graded Category in 2009. She is making good progress this year moving up the ladder from the 1st Leg in Kedah where she was 6th. She was 3rd in the 2nd Leg in Perak and runners-up in the 3rd Leg in Melaka early last month and here, she came up tops.

The Boys Open and Graded champions, Timmy Tan and Mohd Syafiq's road to success was a definite boost to their bowling career. After 3 years of training, their hard work paid off.

Timmy who is training under Jonathan Chung is a Form 4 student from SMK Sultan Abu Samad. He is 1 of 3 bowlers who has been invited by the Singapore Sports School to participate in an Under-18 competition from June 7-11.

During that same period, Syafiq will be representing Kelantan in the SUKMA games in Melaka. Mohd Zakimi Zainudin who is Syafiq's coach and also the Head coach of the Kelantan squad said that Syafiq's achievement here in KL is a good motivation for Syafiq to do well in SUKMA.

Earlier that day, in the Under-12 categories, Perak's Tun Ameerul Al-Hakim and Selangor's Ayra Nur Jehan achieved their second circuit title when they outplayed their opponents. Both of them were over a hundred pins more than the 2nd placed bowlers.

Once again, CONGRATULATIONS and WELL DONE to all champions and also to all that participated in the 4th Leg of the year. See you all in Pahang at the end of this month for the 5th Leg.

Results can be downloaded from the "Downloads" box on the left and photos can be viewed in our SportExcel Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Junior Circuit Facebook Fan Page

Ayra and Hakim lead the Under-12 Categories

(Story and photos by Tony Lim and YK Choo)

Kuala Lumpur, Saturday – Ayra Nur Jehan of Selangor, booked like a seasoned campaigner to take the lead in the Girls Under-12 division with scores of 188, 202, 185, 190, 162 and 181 for a total of 1108 pinfalls to average 184 in the first block of 6 games.

This lanky lass has got tremendous potential with her heigh as an advantage. Ayra has a very smooth swing and with more training and tournament experience she will be the one to watch for in the near future. Shazreen Nadia Teh binti Sharuul Hafiz of Kuala Lumpur finish in second place scoring 1018 pinfalls and Nurul Aina Syairak binti Khairil of Perak settle for third place with a total of 980 pinfalls.

In the Boys Under-12 division, Tun Ameerul Al Hakim of Perak scored games of 193, 225, 180, 184, 203 before letting his guard down with a mere 158 in the last game. Still, Ameerul had a total of 1143 pinfalls to average 190 for the 6 games and should be in contention for a good finish tomorrow.

Afiq Irsyaduddin bin Baharoddin also of Perak had 1070 pinfalls to settle for second place while Adam Quah Tzuang of Kuala Lumpur was good enough for third placing with a score of 1063 pinfalls which is the best showing so far for him.

The top 12 boys and girls in the Under-12 division will advance to the second round where they will play another 6 games to decide the final placings. A total of 80 bowlers took part in the Under-12 event which is a good response considering the Under-12 is not supported in the youth development program.

It is the ardent support of the parents and coaches who continued with the training of these young kids who still showed tremendous determination and dedication to prove that they should be counted as the base for the next generation of bowlers who will one day don national colours.

If you were to walk into the venue of the National Junior Tenpin Bowling Circuit, you will be amassed at the amount of encouragement that the Under-12 bowlers get and the support from the parents is simply laudable. Besides the competition, there is good interaction among the parents and officials of the different races and this factor should be recognized as a contributing factor to national unity and 1 Malaysia. This proves that sport is a vehicle that has and will always be a driving force of understanding and mutual respect.

Syafiq Aiman takes pole position in the Boys Graded category

(Story by Tony Lim)

Syafiq Aiman Johari of Selangor snatched the lead from Amirul Farhan bin Abdul Halim of Kuala Lumpur to take the pole position in the first block of 8 games in the Boys Graded event with a total of 1655 pinfalls to average 206, only 1 pin more than Amirul Farhan.

Syafiq Aiman had 245 and 268 on the fourth and fifth game to move up to the top position and from there he stave off the challenge from Amirul who also had 262 and 224 but a poor last game of 171 allowed Syafiq to remain in the top spot.
Emir Hazim bin Rozaimee of Kuala Lumpur who almost hit a perfect game yesterday had to contend with third placing with 1640 pinfalls but he can still made amends when they face off in the second block where the top 48 bowlers will battle it out over the next 6 games to gain a place in the top 8 for the finals which will be held on Sunday.

Newcomer Ivan Ong had a good outing when he held his nerves to bowl consistently and had some good breaks to score games of 243, 225 and 204 for a total of 1632 pinfalls to be in fifth place. The short 36 feet oiling distance had a lot of oil transition as most of the bowlers were playing between the 2nd and 3rd arrow and was scoring well in the early stages. However when the lanes started drying up, bowlers were slow to make the necessary changes to address the depletion of oil on that area where traffic was the heaviest.

Perhaps now is the time to observe and learn about the oil transition when play is in progress and the depletion of oil on the track is inevitable and bowlers must be fast to change lines or the surface of the bowling ball to stay in contention. After all the SportExcel Junior Circuit is all about learning and discovering which is what the experience is all about.

Besides providing a platform for the bowlers to be discovered, the objectives of the SportExcel Junior Circuit this year is all about learning new things like oiling distance and patterns, ball selections and most of all making changes to the lines. With this objective, it is hoped that the youth bowlers will be better prepared when they play in international youth tournaments where the premium is all about making the fastest decision to play the different lane conditions.

Iver Tan leads Girls Graded after Round 1 in KL Leg

(Story and picture by Tony Lim and YK Choo)

KUALA LUMPUR, Friday - In a total change of environment and different mindset, Iver Tan of Penang storm to the lead in the first block of the Girls Graded division. While she was sobbing away during the MSSM Bowling Championships at MIBC Melaka because she was confused with what line to play, her face was cheerful and smiling sweetly at Megalanes Endah Parade despite a poor 158 and 169 in the first 2 games.

While Iver should have been frustrated, she kept her composure when some words of wisdom were given to her, “It’s better to start poorly than to finish poorly, you can always improve on your games once the momentum gets going.” How true those words were when she showed her resilience by notching up games of 190, 194, 195, 229, 190 and 191 for a total of 1519 pinfalls to average 189 for the 8 games.

It was also the same scenario for Nur Hasmida Syasha binti Nor Azmi of Negeri Sembilan when she opened with 3 low games and rebounded with scores of 204, 203, 181, 207 and 226 for a total of 1509 pinfalls averaging 188. Nur Ain Izani Zulkarnian of Selangor had up and down games but managed to score 234 and 214 to put herself in third place while Nur Najwa Syuhada binti Mohd. Rosli of Kelantan came in as a surprise when she scored 1460 pinfalls to average a creditable 182 to secure fifth placing.

The top 28 girls in the graded division will advance to the next stage where they will play another 6 games with the aggregate of the first and second blocks’ score to determine the final 8 that will play in the finals of Sunday.