Hat-trick for Singapore’s Lim Shi En at the Asian Youth Bowling Championships
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
(From left) Singaporean bowlers Hazel Tan, Shirlene Wong, Lim Shi En and Nur Irdina Hazly with their gold medals after winning the girls' team event.
PHOTO: SINGAPORE BOWLING FEDERATION
Follow topic:
- Lim Shi En excelled at the Asian Youth Tenpin Bowling Championships, securing gold in the doubles, team, and all-events categories.
- Singapore's girls' team won gold in the team event, continuing Singapore's winning streak since 2017.
- Singapore aims for continued success in the masters event, with coaches emphasising process and adaptability for their bowlers.
AI generated
SINGAPORE – Making her debut and final appearance at the Asian Youth Tenpin Bowling Championships, Lim Shi En had only one shot at success and the 19-year-old was determined to make a mark.
Lim, who won four titles at the 2023 Asian Junior Tenpin Bowling Championships, will be overaged for the biennial youth event (20 and under) after 2025.
“I did feel some pressure, wanting to make the most of the opportunity I was given,” she said.
“But that same pressure motivated me to give my absolute best and leave with no regrets.
“By reminding myself to focus on the process rather than the outcome, I was able to approach each event with determination.”
At the Sunway Megalanes in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, she did just that. After capturing the girls’ doubles title with Nur Irdina Hazly
In the team event, the Singapore quartet comprising Lim, Hazel Tan, Shirlene Wong and Irdina felled 5,017 pinfalls to edge out South Korea (4,988) and Malaysia (4,796) for the gold.
Lim and Wong also secured a Singaporean one-two in the all events category with 3,828 and 3,822 totals respectively across the singles, doubles and team events.
South Korea’s Noh Hye-min (3,791) claimed the bronze.
Strong showings in the earlier events reaffirmed Lim’s form and bolstered her belief that she could make a meaningful contribution to the team.
Lim, a Republic Polytechnic student under a programme with the Singapore Sports School, said: “Winning gold in both the team and all-events is incredibly special to me. It reflects the hard work, dedication, and unwavering support I’ve received from my coaches, teammates and family.
“More than just medals, it’s about proving to myself that every effort and sacrifice in training has been worth it. These victories are memories I will cherish for a lifetime.”
Wong, a National University of Singapore undergraduate, was happy to play a part in retaining the team gold that Singapore have won since 2017.
The 20-year-old said: “I feel honoured and proud to have upheld the legacy of our seniors by winning the team gold. It has always been our goal and the reason we came here, and I’m glad that all our hard work paid off and led to such a rewarding outcome.
“Winning the all-events silver was a meaningful recognition of my performance across the different events. I’m very grateful and happy for this achievement, it is only the beginning of a bigger journey in my bowling career.”
Irdina, 18, added: “To me, it’s the most memorable team event so far because of how we bounced back and came back stronger, because halfway in the last game, it really looked like we didn’t have a chance at gold any more.
“But each of us remained calm and determined and we managed to bounce back stronger than ever.”
Getting to compete with her teammates was a highlight for Tan, who also won the singles gold. The 18-year-old said: “My highest hope for this competition was to win the team event... it is not only my favourite event but also the only event in which we get to bowl together and cheer as a team.
“To be able to achieve this is really special to me.”
With Aiman Lim’s gold in the boys’ singles, Singapore have reaped five golds and a silver in the ongoing tournament.
Praising the team for their performance, national assistant coach Faizal Chew is also looking ahead to the masters event, which will feature the top 16 bowlers on Aug 26 and 27.
All four girls have qualified for the masters, while Aiman and Mike Ong are in the boys’ masters event.
Chew said: “The mindset and goal going into the masters will be the same as any other day, focusing on the process and making each shot.
“What worked on previous days may not necessarily work the same way, so our focus will be on executing each shot and making adjustments as needed.
“That’s the only thing we can control, because the outcome will ultimately come down to our decisions, shot-making and, of course, a bit of luck.”
