Putty relishes challenge of Jakarta final
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
After winning the previous two of six legs in the Asian Bowling Federation (ABF) Tour, Putty Armein of Indonesia hopes to continue her winning form at home.
Putty won the Indonesian leg in October and in Hong Kong in November and appears to be relishing the thought of the next challenge when the championship rounds off the season with the final leg in Jakarta.
Called the Tournament of Champions, it will take place at the Jaya Ancol Bowling Center from Jan. 13 through Jan. 16.
"I hope I can continue my winning form at home," 23-year-old Putty said on Monday.
The Tournament of Champions will feature Asia's top 16 men and top 16 women based on tour rankings from the six legs of the ABF Tour throughout last year.
"I have been practicing hard for the final game," said Putty, who tops the standings in the women's section. She did not qualify for the final in last year's season.
Happy Soediono, who finished in 11th place, is Indonesia's other women's contender while Ryan Leonard Lalisang will be the host's only contender in the men's section after he grabbed fourth place.
Ryan, whose best performance was winning the Malaysian leg in March, is also hopeful about the Jakarta final.
"Although I did not win the Indonesian leg of the ABF Tour in October, I feel better prepared for the next game," he said.
He said he had increased his training from four times a week to five times a week and doubled the duration of training from two to four hours per session.
"Everyone has a chance of winning this grand final (Tournament of Champions), but I have an edge in that I am far more familiar with the lanes than other bowlers," he said.
Ryan admitted that Asia's No. 1 Ahmed Shaheen of Qatar and last year's Tournament of Champions runner-up Wu Siu Hong of Hong Kong posed serious threats to his chances.
In last year's Tournament of Champions held in Singapore, Ryan took 14th place, while Happy took 10th.
Philippine bowlers Purvis Granger and Liza Del Rosario won last year's Tournament of Champions in the men's and women's section respectively.