Bowler Putty moves up to the big league

Bowler Putty moves up to the big league

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Whatever she may accomplish in the future, Putty Insavilla Armein
has already made her mark as the first Indonesian woman bowler to
be ranked atop the Asian Bowling Federation (ABF) Tour.

She achieved the feat in 2004 despite only playing five of six
legs of the ABF Tour. And in doing so, she beat out her idol
Shalin Zulkifli of Malaysia, the Asian number one who ranked
third on the tour.

Putty, 23, won the fifth leg of the ABF Tour at home, was
fifth in the first leg in Malaysia, 14th in the second leg in
Thailand, fourth in the third leg in Philippines and sixth in the
last leg in Hong Kong.

She was absent from the fourth leg in Singapore because she
was committed to playing in the 2004 National Games in Palembang.

Putty also won the 2004 Hong Kong Open.

"I am glad that I can make a breakthrough to be number one on
the 2004 ABF Tour," she said.

"It is a big leap, for in 2003 I was 17th."

Her sights are now set on the grand final of the ABF Tour in
Jakarta, from Thursday to Sunday, which brings together the top
16 players based on the ABF Tour rankings.

In the overall Asian rankings, Putty remains at 17th, but she
has set herself an ambitious target to make the top eight, which
would give her a berth in the sport's most prestigious event in
the U.S.

"It's my target to play in the World Championship this year,"
she said.

Hard work and a tough decision helped Putty bring her to her
present success.

In 2001, Putty decided to quit studying mass communications at
the University of Indonesia after a year to focus on her sport.

"My university did not support my activities as a bowler. It
was always difficult to take leave when I had a tournament to
participate in, so I decided to quit," she said.

"Seemingly, my decision has paid off."

Freed from academic responsibilities, Putty was able to
concentrate on developing her skills at Jaya Ancol Bowl, under
coaches Taufik Rahman and Singaporean Henry Tan.

Still, it was a difficult transition to the ABF Tour in 2002
and 2003.

"At that time, I still lacked experience and easily got
nervous in many games, but I overcame those problems by
practicing hard and competing in a number of international
tournaments."

She also learned from the cool-and-collected example of
Shalin, someone she has known since she lived in Kuala Lumpur
when her father represented Garuda Indonesia in the city.

She also credits her sponsor Jaya Ancol Bowl, which sent her
to the ABF tournaments, for supporting her even during her
initial rough patch.

"By participating in many international tournaments, I could
win some of them and I could get another sponsor from Brunswick,"
she said of the bowling equipment maker.

The youngest of three children of Armein Yusfar and Irma
Armein, began learning bowling by chance when she took a sick day
off school as a fifth grader in Kuala Lumpur.

"My mother took me a bowling alley where she usually played.
That was the first time I learned about bowling."

She began to practice regularly when in junior high school.

In her first international tournament, she won silver at the
first Asian Interschool in Singapore in 1998, losing to Valerie
Teo of Singapore (ironically, Teo pulled out of the Tournament of
Champions due to university exam commitments in Singapore).

She represented Indonesia in two Southeast Asia (SEA) Games in
1999 and 2001, both times winning bronze in the team of five
event.

Putty's future ambitions include knocking her sporting idol
off her perch.

"I hope to bowl as long as I can, win many tournaments and get
the first rank in Asia, like Shalin," she said.