2025 Athlete of the Year nominee: New Hui Fen

Q. Was there a specific moment in 2025 when you realised you had reached a new level?

A. I think it was at the start of 2025, when we had to register for the competitions. Usually I wouldn’t say out loud ‘I want to win this (a certain competition)’, it’s just things I would say inside, but I would not let my coach know.

When the schedule was out, I said I wanted to win this Rock ‘n’ Roll Open, then when I finally got to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Open and actually won it... it felt unbelievable.

At first it was a joke, but I could envision myself (winning it). Because every winner has to pose with the trophy, so I was thinking it would be damn funny if I win it and I strike a rock pose, and I could see it play out in my head.

I had to make it happen, so the photo could happen, and I know this photo will be in their archives when anyone searches for this competition.

Q. Was there anything you had to let go of – a belief, a habit or a way of thinking – to get to the level you were at in 2025?

A. For me, I always tweak my bowling game a bit. If it feels good, it will stay. If not, I will always try to find ways to make things better. There’s the saying ‘don’t fix what’s not broken’ but I don’t believe in that because I’ve always believed that I can be better in every aspect, so I will try to change things in a way that will work for me.

In 2024, when I was aiming for my shot, I would be very intentional and I would take quite long to aim.

But in 2025, I wanted to have more flow in my game – less thinking and less aiming. I would take it and go, and that helped me get into the same flow as training and it helped me repeat shots a lot better.

They say you should train as though you compete, but for me in 2025, I was competing like I was training, so then it felt a bit more natural in my movements.

I would test it out in a smaller competition, then if it works, I’ll tell my coach I would continue with it. Because if it works in training, it doesn’t really matter because the pressure is not there. It’s a true reflection of whether a change works when it shows during the competition.

Q. When you’re at your best, what’s different about you?

A. I can slow down my mind a lot faster than previously. Usually in competition, it goes very fast and if it’s not working well, I’m in full panic mode then maybe my decision-making wouldn’t be so good.

But now, I can slow down and I observe other people, like what’s working, what’s not working, what have I tried, what else can I do better. It’s just through a lot of experience, and trial and error. It’s just making a lot of mistakes so that I don’t want to make the same mistakes.

Q. Does pressure shift when you’re the one setting the standard? 

A. I do my preparation the same, my thinking is about the same, I will try to repeat the same process with different competitions.

Q. What is one thing you are proud of yourself for doing in 2025?

A. For me, it was just to be able to stay consistent throughout my process and not let any result get in my head; not to be attached to the result and also not be affected by my opponents’ results. It’s a bit hard, but I feel like I managed to do well more often than not. 

Q. After the year you had, how has it changed what feels special to you?

A. Winning PWBA Player of the Year on tour was always a dream of mine, and now I’ve achieved that, I’m wondering if I can achieve it again.

This is not a thought I would’ve had at the start of 2025 because I wasn’t close in 2024 so this question wouldn’t even have popped up. So I guess being able to ask myself if I can win it again is different and special.