| By Terrence Voon | ||
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Singapore's New Hui Fen said her secret to success was to focus on her shots, one frame at a time. She knocked down 1,359 pinfalls at Orchid Bowl yesterday. -- ST PHOTO: ALBERT SIM |
WHEN New Hui Fen came home with a silver medal in the Schools National B Division bowling competition three years ago, she wept bitterly.
There were no such emotions on show yesterday afternoon, when the poker-faced 17-year-old snagged first place in the girls' singles at the Asian Youth Games (AYG).
The manner of her victory - which marked Singapore's first gold at the inaugural Games - is a measure of just how far the once-nervous teenager has come.
Heading into her final two games in the six-game final with a 45-pinfall lead over her nearest rivals, the Asian Intercity Masters champion was the overwhelming favourite for the crown.
Expectation surged, and so did the tension at Orchid Country Club, where a host of VIPs, including Singapore chef de mission Lee Wung Yew and Singapore Bowling Federation president Jessie Phua, had gathered.
Earlier in the afternoon, even Deputy Prime Minister and Singapore National Olympic Council president Teo Chee Hean found time to drop by, sitting directly behind Hui Fen at Lane 22.
But the pressure never got to her. In the fifth game, she bagged nine strikes in a row for a 267 - her perfect game denied by a lone pin in the 10th frame, which she missed.
By then, Hui Fen's lead had extended to 66 pinfalls over her nearest rivals, Oh Nu Ri of South Korea and Japan's Misaki Mukotani.
In the final game, spares in the fifth and ninth frames left the Singaporean vulnerable to a late charge from her opponents. Nu Ri closed with a turkey and three spares for a 219, while Misaki had a 225.
It came down to the 10th frame, where Hui Fen needed to knock down pin No.7 for a spare - and the gold medal.
She duly obliged, finishing with 1,359 pinfalls for a 226.5 average. Misaki posted 1,314 for second place, while Oh slipped to third with 1,308.
The result sparked wild celebrations in the stands. Fellow kegler Jasmine Yeong-Nathan, the reigning World Cup champion, was seen jumping up and down with joy, while Lee, a veteran shooter with 16 South-east Asia Games gold medals to his name, roared with delight.
But even as the champions watching her were boisterous, Hui Fen stayed calm.
After finishing her last game, Singapore's newest bowling star simply sat down and chatted coolly with her teammate Ilma Nur Jannah, who was 18th with 1,142 pinfalls, and coach Henry Tan.
'I just focused on my shots, each frame at a time,' a stern-looking Hui Fen told the media later. 'I also used my pre-shot routine - drink water, talk to my friend, wipe the ball. To be consistent, you have to keep on repeating whatever you have been doing.'
Her mother revealed that her daughter has taken a no-nonsense approach to bowling, after her failure to land a gold medal at the 2006 Schools National championship.
'She cried because she wanted to win as a birthday present for me,' said Mrs Florence New. 'I told her, 'Don't ever cry again'. You tried your best and that's it.'
For her efforts, Hui Fen will receive a cash reward of $4,000, offered by the Singapore Bowling Federation and Orchid Bowl for every gold medal won by the country's keglers.
Said an ecstatic Phua: 'I'm happy that Singapore won its first gold, happy that (Hui Fen) did not crumble under the burden of delivery.
'It shows that all the hard work we put into youth development is paying dividends.'
Earlier yesterday, Michael Mak of Hong Kong won the boys' singles title with 1,396 pinfalls, or a 232.7 average. Singapore's best finisher was Justin Lim, who finished eighth with 1,293.
Singapore's eight-member team will continue their medal quest in the doubles events today.
