THE NATIONAL men’s and women’s bowling teams are banking on home court advantage to end the country’s long gold medal drought in the 30th Southeast Asian Games later this year.
Philippine team candidates Lara Posadas-Wong and Merwin Tan said the Philippine Bowling Federation (PBF) is doing everything to form the best squad possible to give the country its first bowling gold since the 2005 edition of the biennial meet.
“We’ll do our best to win gold medals for the Philippines. We’re really practicing very hard. So hopefully, maipakita namin ito sa SEA Games,” said Posadas-Wong.
The 29-year-old Posadas-Wong emerged champion in the Hong Kong leg of the Asian Bowling Federation Tour and finished second runner-up in the ladies division of the Hong Kong Open.
The 20-year-old Tan bagged the championship of the Youth Masters Division and placed second runner-up in both the Men’s Open division and the Youth Boys doubles along with Patrick Nuqui.
The Hong Kong Open, the Philippine Open, and the Singapore Open are among the tournaments the PBF will be using as basis to select the composition of the men and women’s team to the SEA Games, according to the two bowlers.
Posadas-Wong, who won bronze medals in the last two stagings of the biennial meet in Singapore (2015) and Malaysia (2017), said the country is likely to contend for the golds in the team events.
“Though challenging, sa team (events) may chance kahit anong kulay,” she said. “Individually, we’re getting there (pero) madami pang kailangan trabahuhin. But we’ll get there.”
Posadas-Wong will still compete as part of the team bound for Las Vegas for the World Women’s Championship next month, and later in the Asian Bowling Championships in Kuwait.
Tan will also be with the men’s team in the Asian meet in Kuwait and is set to see action in U-22 meet in Japan this August. The PBF hopes to name the final lineup for the biennial meet by September./PN
