Senior and junior tenpin bowlers paired for gold

Senior and junior tenpin bowlers paired for gold

By Ivy Susanti

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia will mate senior and junior tenpin
bowlers to win at least two golds from the 12 events in the 20th
Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Brunei Darussalam next month,
after years of not winning a gold medal.

Old faces are dominating the national team, including Femmy
Tjahjo, 54, and Yani Ruzgar, 51, in the women's team and Go
Tjing-peng, 51, and Donto Nurrachman, 45, in the men's team. They
all have experience in local and regional tournaments, including
the SEA Games.

This year, the Indonesian Bowling Association (PBI) has
included junior players in its SEA Games team, including Ryan
Leonard Lalisang in the men's team and Putty Insavilla Armein and
Happy A. Dewanti Soediyono in the women's team.

Ryan, 18, paired with Donto in the men's double in the 1997
SEA Games and earned a bronze. Indonesia also grabbed three
silvers in the women's individual, women's team of five and men's
team of five. Malaysia and Singapore shared five golds each while
the Philippines earned two golds.

PBI's official in charge of competition, David Paruhum
Sitorus, expressed optimism that Indonesia could win two gold
medals in the women's and men's all events, saying the team
started practicing earlier this year.

David, one of the SEA Games team members, said Indonesia would
face a tough challenge from Paulo Lovaldes of the Philippines in
the men's team and Shalin Zukifli and Sarah Yap of Malaysia in
the women's team.

"We want two golds in the SEA Games. But we also have to keep
our eyes on the Filipino men bowlers and Malaysian and
Singaporean women bowlers," he said.

PBI started the training program for tenpin bowlers in
January. It held four selection procedures before setting up the
national team.

The late Ras Suganda earned gold in the 1985 SEA Games in
Bangkok in men's all events. Indonesia has since not won any gold
medals.

However, PBI was not able to send a team to compete in
overseas tournaments due to a financial shortage.

Only two junior bowlers, Ryan and Putty, were given a chance
to take part in the Asian Junior Bowling Championship held from
July 19 to July 24 in Singapore.

David, who also trains the junior team, said PBI wanted the
young members of the SEA Games team to gain experience in
regional competitions, which use similar lanes to those in Brunei
Darussalam.

Ryan and Putty both finished in 23rd place. There were 60
participants in the men's individual competition and 40 in the
women's.

The bowlers are scheduled to leave for Brunei on Sunday,
earlier than the rest of the contingent, because they have to
adjust themselves to the different conditions.

Lineup: Men: David Paruhum Sitorus, Donto Nurrachman, Go Tjing-peng, Lie
Joe-tjam, Ryan Leonard Lalisang, Taufik Rachman
Women: Femmy Tjahjo, Happy Ari Dewanti Soediyono, Inge Nio, Lily
Suhaemi, Putty Insavilla Armein, Sri Mulyani Ruzgar