Despite limited time in training and preparation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philippine bowling team exceeded expectations by bagging two bronze medals in the recent 2021 IBF Super World Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Both the men’s and women’s squads could not be denied a podium finish for the first time since coach Biboy Rivera won the gold medal in the Masters’ event in 2006.
“It has been a long time since the Philippine Men and Ladies Teams have had a medal at the World Championships. It is extra special to have won it at the same time. Bronze feels like gold!” said Rivera.
The return to the podium was so fitting for Rivera, who mentored the mens’ squad of Kenneth Chua, Patrick Nuqui, Merwin Tan and Ian Dychangco to a bronze-medal finish.
The women’s team of Rachelle Leon, Mades Arles, Norel Nuevo and Dubai-based Uella Marcial equaled the men’s feat with a similar finish.
Victories over Singapore, 264-219, and Sweden, 227-213, and a loss to Norway, 182-258, still put the Jojo Canare-mentored Filipina keglers on top of the Group A in the Round of 16.
They assured themselves of a bronze finish with a win over Colombia, 232-175, before losing to Malaysia in the semifinals.
The men’s team, in contrast, went through the more difficult route after it shared 16th place at the bottom with Uzbekistan in the qualification round, nipping the latter in the one-game tiebreaker to advance to the Round of 16.
It turned out to be the trigger the men’s team needed as it defeated Germany, Kuwait and the USA in Group A of the Round of 16, before winning over Denmark, 239-235, in the knockout phase in the quarters.
A loss to powerhouse Singapore in the semis, 228-247, ended the bid of the Filipino keglers.
Philippine Bowling Federation secretary-general Bong Coo said she was elated for the whole team which delivered despite “our current situation and insufficient training time” and expressed high hopes that this would be the start of bowling’s renaissance on the world stage.
