THE future of Philippine bowling looks promising following the rousing success of the boys’ team in the recent 21st Asian Youth Tenpin Bowling Championships in Bangkok.
Art Barrientos, Stephen Luke Diwa, Marc Dylan Custodio and Singapore-based Zach Sales Ramin clinched the gold medal in four event after a come-from-behind win over South Korea, 4933-4922, and added another when Barrientos bagged the masters’ gold by beating Blake Walsh of Australia, 443-349.
The team emerg overall champedion in the boys’ side.
Barrientos, 19, and a Hospitality Management student at Far Eastern University-Roosevelt, became the first Filipino to accomplish the feat since Biboy Rivera in the 1986 edition in Kuala Lumpur.
The accomplishment of the four was also the first for the country in the continental youth meet since 1981.
“Bowling continues to evolve even to this day, and I believe right training and proper support will be good enough so we could bring back the glory days of bowling in our country,” Barrientos said.
Barrientos, Diwa and Custodio graced Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Conference Hall of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex and expressed the same view on competing and winning for the country in international tournaments.
“I want to continue representing our country very well, hope to win more medals, and continue working on my game,” said Custodio, 19, who is taking up Accountancy at De La Salle.
“We’ll continue to practice hard. Next international tournament, hopefully we can go and win some more medals,” Diwa, 18, said.
The victorious Filipinos brought their medals and trophy to the session presented by San Miguel Corp., Philippine Sports Commission, Milo, Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
Unfortunately, all three won’t be back to defend their titles come the next edition of the tournament in Kuala Lumpur.
“The next Asian Youth is in 2025 and we’ll be two years older then, no longer qualified,” Barrientos said. “The maximum age is 20.”
For now, all three are looking to join the men’s team through its annual tryouts usually conducted in December.
“Every year there’re are national team tryouts and that’s our goal,” said Diwa, a Business Management student at the College of Saint Benilde.
Barrientos added the success of the team in the Asian Youth motivated them to try to reach the level of Filipino bowling greats Paeng Nepomuceno, Lita Dela Rosa and now, PSC commissioner Olivia “Bong” Coo.
“Hopefully, one day we get to the Hall of Fame of bowling,” he said.