New Hui Fen hid her feelings well during yesterday's SEA Games bowling women's Masters stepladder finals. She appeared relaxed, smiling and chatting with her coach in between frames.
But after pipping Malaysian Siti Safiyah Amirah to take the gold, the Singaporean could barely maintain her composure, though she did succeed in holding back tears.
"It's really a dream come true... it has always been my goal to finish in the top five of every event and, in this competition, I was in the top five," said the 27-year-old, who also won the singles and team titles earlier in the week.
"I was fourth in the mixed doubles so that was my 'worst' position, so I'm glad that I'm able to show everyone my consistency."
Compatriots Shayna Ng and Jaris Goh clinched the bronze in the women's and men's Masters.
New said of her calm demeanour at the Coronado Lanes in Manila: "Pretend one... I have to look cool as a cucumber because I know the Malaysian (supporters) would be very pumped up and rah-rah, so I wanted to be the opposite of that.
"I was just trying to laugh more so that I am more relaxed."
There were plenty of scares for her in the battle with Siti Safiyah, 29, who had beaten Ng in the semi-finals. New was the top seed for the stepladder finals after finishing first in the qualifying round with 3,527 pinfalls from 16 games.
That meant she had two chances to clinch the title. She let slip of the first, when they had matching 190s, were tied again on 40 pinfalls in the first tiebreaker before being edged 29-27 in the second tiebreaker to be forced into a winner-take-all second game.
It was the first time New was involved in a tiebreaker and, despite the setback, she quickly regrouped and was the more consistent of the two, winning213-194.
She said:"I think the difference was she (Safiyah) had splits and when I saw that, I made the adjustment. I was ahead of my move and I didn't wait for things to happen.
"(In the tense moments) I was just reminding myself to firm up my non-bowling arm because, whenever I'm bowling well, I just focus on my left hand to make sure it's firm. Once it's firm, then I get my direction and everything will be in place."
Singapore's Games haul of three golds, one silvers and four bronzes earned praise from Singapore Bowling Federation president Jessie Phua, who said: "They've done extremely well, especially in coming together as a team.
"To be able to stay calm, maintain their composure and just focus on the process. They did so well, I'm so proud of them.
"I'm so impressed that, at every stop they have dug deep, they have tried their very best to stay focused and that's all we ask of them."
