Asian debutants just as good

Asian debutants just as good

2nd November, Singapore: Four young Singapore men bowlers who will be making their Asian Games debut in Guangzhou, China from November 12-24 are as good as the seniors.

SingaporeBowling named the six-member men team for the Asiad - four first-timers Ng Tiac Pin, Benajamin Lim, Mark Wong and Basil Low together with seniors Jason Yeong-Nathan and Remy Ong. These Asiad debutants are not new to the team. All four have been sufficiently exposed to big tournaments and they have done well consistently. Ng, Wong and Low were featured at the Munich World Men's Championship in August.

Lim and Low were part of the boy's team who took part in the Helsinki World Youth Championships and gave a good account of themselves. Jason Yeong-Nathan, two-times national champion, has taken part in the regional SEA Games, Asian Championships, Asian Games and World Championships.

Jason shot a perfect game en-route to capturing the 2006 Asian Championship Doubles gold medal. The 26-year-old also took the Trios gold medal at the 2007 SEA Games. His latest was winning the 2008 Asian Championship Trios bronze medal.

Jason certainly has the pedigree to bring home glory for Singapore and a return to the winning podium is long overdue.   The men's team is reinforced by the presence of the most experienced Singapore national kegler, Remy Ong. Ong stormed into the international scene bigtime when he won three gold medals at the 2002 Asian Games winning the Singles, Trios and Masters event.

Although he almost successfully defended the Trios and Masters event at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha in which he settled for two silver medals, the 31-year-old had earlier the same year won two gold medals at the World Men's Championship in Busan.

Ong has been selective in the open championships that he has participated over the past two years and the decision has paid off handsomely. He won the 2009 Bahrain Open and the 2009 Qatar Open and followed it up with victory in the 2010 Saudi Open.

Despite drawing blanks at the Munich World Men's Championships in August, Ong's spirit is not dampened and will be one of the strongly fancied Singapore challenger for medals next week when the games kick off.

SingaporeBowling will provide daily coverage on site from the Tianhe Sports Complex from November 11 through to 24.

Detailed information: Tentative Schedule. Photos by SingaporeBowling.

Photos by SingaporeBowling.