S’pore’s Lim Shi En and Nur Irdina Hazly win girls’ doubles gold at Asian Youth Tenpin Bowling C’ships

SINGAPORE – Even before they knew they would be paired for the girls’ doubles event at the Asian Youth Tenpin Bowling Championships, Singapore’s Lim Shi En and Nur Irdina Hazly joked that they would win gold if they bowled together.

At the Sunway Megalanes in Petaling Jaya on Aug 23, the pair delivered on that promise as they claimed the girls’ doubles title with a 2,637-pinfall total, way ahead of South Korea’s Paek Ye-dam and Jo Yoon-seo (2,473) and Japan’s Kiri Watanabe and Mao Kondoh (2,456).

For both of them, the victory was especially meaningful.

Irdina, 18, said: “Even though we have eyes on the gold, we knew that all we needed to do was focus on our shot-making and I felt like we did that pretty well today.

“We brushed off bad shots and bounced back for the next one. Overall, with this being Shi En’s last Asian youth championship, being able to double with her and win the gold medal together is definitely one to remember.”

Shi En said that when it was confirmed they would be partnering, they reminded each other to just be themselves and make every shot count, which she believes contributed to their victory.

The 19-year-old added: “All the hard work we put in during training paid off, and this achievement is a reflection of that effort.

“It means a lot not only because of the medal itself, but also because of the journey we shared to reach it.

“We will carry this motivation forward and continue to push forward.”

Their gold brought the Republic’s tally at the Aug 20-27 competition to three golds, following Hazel Tan and Aiman Lim’s triumphs in the girls’ and boys’ singles the day before.

In the girls’ doubles, Tan and Shirlene Wong were sixth out of 16 pairs after knocking down 2,335 pinfalls.

Aiman and Brian Ngoi racked up 2,507 pinfalls to also take sixth place in the boys’ doubles, with Jayden See and Mike Ong (2,326) finishing 19th out of 28 pairs.

This is not the first time that Irdina and Shi En have combined to win on the international stage. At the 2023 Asian Junior Tenpin Bowling Championships in Singapore, they also won the girls’ doubles event.

The duo’s success stems from a friendship forged at the Singapore Sports School.

Years of bowling together have deepened their understanding of each other, a connection that has benefited their performances.

At the bowling centre, if one is around, the other is usually not far away, said Irdina, who also noted that their bond extends beyond the sport as Shi En is often the first person she turns to whenever she faces challenges in bowling or her personal life.

She said: “We understand and are able to identify each other’s habits and tendencies while bowling. So, if I see Shi En rushing, I would tell her to slow down.”

That familiarity and trust also allow them to be open with each other.

Shi En said: “It feels natural to support each other both on and off the lanes.

“We can be honest when giving feedback, but also know how to encourage one another in the right way.

“Even in tough moments, we don’t let things get too heavy because we are able to laugh, make jokes and lift each other’s spirit.

“That closeness makes competing together feel less stressful and more enjoyable.”

The gold is also Singapore’s first in the girls’ doubles event at the Asian youth championships since 2010, when Bernice Lim and New Hui Fen took the title in Kuwait.

National assistant coach Faisal Chew praised the team’s effort, saying: “This young group of bowlers has shown great drive and determination.

“Their hard work in training is now paying off, with the results reflecting their effort.

“The team has also played a vital role, offering strong support, while the coaches provided guidance and key adjustments along the way.”

The competition resumes with the team event on Aug 24 and 25, before the all events and masters winners are crowned on Aug 26 and 27 respectively.