| By Terrence Voon | ||
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Singapore's New Hui Fen, the Malaysian Open Girls' Masters champion, during practice yesterday. -- PHOTOS: JOSEPH NAIR FOR THE STRAITS TIMES |
MALAYSIA'S loss could be Singapore's gain at the Asian Youth Games (AYG) bowling competition, which rolls off today at the Orchid Country Club.
The regional bowling kingpins will be missing from the tournament after the Malaysian Sports Ministry decided last week not to send the full contingent to the Games owing to fears of Influenza A (H1N1).
The absence of eight Malaysian bowlers has reduced the number of serious contenders in the 95-strong field. They will battle for the eight gold medals on offer over the next six days.
Said Singapore coach William Woo: 'Percentage-wise, our chances will be higher now that they are not here.
'But the rest of the countries are also very strong, and at the end of the day, we still have to perform.'
Malaysia, who picked up four golds at the 2007 South-east Asia Games, have a tradition of producing world-beaters, like 2006 Asian Games singles gold medallist Esther Cheah and 2001 World Tenpin Masters champion Shalin Zulkifli.
At last year's World Youth Championships in Orlando, their youngsters clinched golds in the Boys' Masters and team events.
Indonesia's Singaporean coach, Billy Choo, agreed that the Malaysians' absence will give others a boost although it has taken a bit of the shine off the event.
'They are key players in bowling. Not having them here makes it seem as if the Games are missing one leg,' he added.
Yesterday, all 16 participating countries hit the lanes for the first time during a two-hour practice session.
Woo took the opportunity to check out the opposition, and identified South Korea as the main threat to the Republic's medal ambitions.
Said the Singapore coach: 'Many of the Koreans have personal coaches and start bowling from primary school. Their technique is excellent and they have a very good all-round game.'
He added that Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan and Thailand are also expected to challenge for a podium finish.
Singapore's hopes rest on the shoulders of their eight-member squad, including New Hui Fen, the Malaysian Open Girls' Masters champion.
While most of their rivals are unknowns, there are some notable keglers in the mix. They include Indonesia's Dennis Ranova, arguably the most experienced bowler in the competition. The 15-year-old made his debut at the 2006 Asian Games when he was just 12, and has since represented his country at the Asian Indoor Games and SEA Games in 2007.
'I feel confident and my target is to win a gold medal,' he said.
Another face to watch is Hong Kong wonder boy Michael Mak. The 15-year-old captured the Under-15 Masters title at the World Junior All-Stars in Malaysia last year, and is already a member of the senior national squad.
Former Singapore coach Pat Henry, who now trains Bahrain, expects plenty of thrills and high scores when the competition gets under way today with the boys' and girls' Singles.
He said: 'From my experience, many Asian countries have some very good players. The skill level of this age group is not as high as the national players, but they still have to handle the same mental pressure, and make the right lane adjustments at the right time.'
