Goh the guiding light behind men’s trios bronze
Muhammad Jaris Goh spun to face his teammates at the Jakabaring Bowling Centre, clenched his fists and screamed "Majulah"!
The Singapore bowler had just nailed a strike and the adrenaline was clearly coursing through his veins.
But it was not the chest-thumping bravado, nor the frequency of that celebration routine in a hot fifth game that stood out - indeed, it was the camaraderie in the men's trios team that seemingly drove them to the bronze medal.
Goh, Darren Ong and Alex Chong finished with a 4,226-pinfall total, breaking a medal drought in the Games' men's trios event that dates back to the 2006 silver from Lee Yu-Wen, Remy Ong and Jason Yeong- Nathan.
Japan's Tomoyuki Sasaki, Shogo Wada and Shusaku Asato were runaway leaders on 4,344, but it was a tight pack chasing them.
There were only nine pinfalls separating Singapore and the second-placed Malaysian trio of Fishol Ahmad Muaz, Rafiq Ismail, and Tan Chye Chern, with hosts Indonesia missing out on the bronze by 36 pinfalls.
Competing under the new scoring system that awards 30 points for every single strike, it could have been very different - especially with Chong struggling in the fifth game.
While Goh and Ong scored identical scores of 289, Chong's 177 could have scuppered their medal hopes.
"I'm left-handed and I was having a hard time. The left side of the lane behaves differently (from the frequently travelled right). And all I could do was focus on my process and make shots," said Chong, 22.
The 23-year-old Goh - the most senior in the men's team, and the only one with Asiad experience - was clearly determined to keep their spirits up.
Ong and Chong both nodded when asked if Goh was the emotional centre of the team.
The positivity throughout the Singapore set-up was clear.
Even all six of their women - often the more successful gender in the sport - were present and cheering. This, a day after the trio of Daphne Tan, Joey Yeo and Bernice Lim also struck bronze in the same event.
However, Ong, 22, was clear about the expectations.
"We don't want to compare ourselves to the women," he said. "We look up to them as our seniors. We're glad that we're starting to move in the same direction as them, and making a name for ourselves."
Goh chimed in: "We're better together."
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