S’pore bowler wins title in Kaohsiung
The streak keeps going on for Singapore bowling, with Arianne Tay the latest budding kegler to register her breakthrough on the international stage.
The 15-year-old captured the Kaohsiung International Open Bowling Championships yesterday, after beating South Korean Yang Su-jin 207-197, 205-199 in the stepladder finals.
This was the Singaporean’s first senior international title. In March, she had bagged the girls’ singles crown at the inaugural World Junior Bowling Championships in Paris. She also had a team bronze at the competition.
The Methodist Girls’ School Secondary 3 student, who has been bowling for five years, was the second-best qualifier in the field of 22. She totalled 1,705 pinfalls over eight games, three behind Yang, at the Southern Bowling Centre, Kaohsiung.
Arianne rolled 257 pinfalls to beat compatriot Jermaine Seah (166) and Chinese Taipei’s Chou Chiachen (203) in the knock-out round and advance into the final against Yang.
Seah finished fourth overall.
Arianne, who finished 17th in the Singapore National Schools B Division Championships in March, said: “I’m in shock that I was able to achieve my first international open title of my life.
“I was really nervous going up against really strong competitors who were so much more experienced. But my teammates were behind me, supporting me, my family and friends at home cheering for me.
“I had really patient, understanding and experienced coaches behind me, guiding me through every step of the way, allowing me to manage the tricky lane conditions.
“I was able to overcome all that nerve and emerge victorious.”
She is the fourth Singapore youngster to win titles in overseas competitions in recent months.
In May, Charlene Lim, 20, clinched the Malaysian International Open crown, while her teammate Amabel Chua, 19, won the Philippine Open in Manila a month later.
Last month, Iliya Syamim, 20, bagged the Hong Kong International Open.