Record entries for Asian Schools meet

8th July, Hong Kong: A record number of teams will be participating in the 10th Asian Schools Tenpin Bowling Championship which starts on Monday, 9th July as the team officials attended a managers' meeting Sunday evening at Garden City Hotel.  A total of 13 countries comprising of Chinese Taipei, Guam, Indonesia, Korea, Kuwait, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and host nation, Hong Kong have entered 21 boys team and 17 girls team for a total of 38 teams.

Five countries namely Korea, who is competing for the first time, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and host, Hong Kong have entered 2 boys team and 2 girls team while Thailand put in 2 boys team and 2 girls team but one of the girls team with only 2 girls.

Chinese Taipei has only 1 boys team and 1 girls team while Guam and Kuwait entered just 1 boys team each. Indonesia has 2 boys team, one of which comprise of only 3 boys and 1 girls team. Macau has 1 boys team and 1 girls team of only 2 member. Vietnam, who was originally the host, entered 1 boys team of 3 youths and 1 girls team of 1 youth.

The team managers meeting conducted by Technical Delegate, Dr Danny Santos and Tournament Director, Mr Wille Cheung, confirmed all the participants. The lane draws were also done for all the events comprising of Singles, Doubles and Team of 4 events.

"We didn't expect this much entry when we finalised the venue for the championship hence we have now stretched both the Singles and Doubles into 3 squads," said Mrs Vivien Fung, Hon. Life President of ABF and Chairman of the Hong Kong Tenpin Bowling Congress before the start of the meeting.

Official practice will be held tomorrow with the Opening Ceremony scheduled at 6.00pm followed by the Welcome Reception at 8.00pm. The competition will kick off with the Singles event on Tuesday, 10th July. The championship will end on 15th July with the Masters stepladder finals.

Photos by Terence Yaw for HKTBC.