Bowling: Singapore men clinch historic silver at IBF Super World C'ships
Singapore's male bowlers bagged a historic silver medal at the International Bowling Federation (IBF) Super World Championships in Dubai after losing to South Korea in the two-game men's team final on Monday (Nov 15).
Cheah Ray Han, Jonovan Neo, Darren Ong and Jomond Chia, who are Singapore's first men's team to qualify for a World Championship final, struggled to find their momentum in the opening game at the Sports, Fitness and Wellbeing Hub in Expo 2020 Dubai, which they eventually lost 196-136.
The quartet put in an improved performance in the second game, but fell short against South Korea's Kang Heewon, Ji Geun, Go Jae-kyeok and Ka Soo-hyeong, who won 248-198.
Earlier on Monday, the women's team comprising singles champion Shayna Ng, 2019 World Bowling Athlete of the Year Cherie Tan, triple SEA Games gold medallist New Hui Fen and Iliya Syamim saw their run end in the matchplay round after they finished third in their group.
The previous best finish by the country's male bowlers on the global stage came in the 2018 World Bowling Men's Championships, where they clinched a historic bronze medal. Ong and Neo were part of that team together with Basil Ng, Keith Saw, Jaris Goh and reserve Joel Tan.
Ong was also in the team that ended Singapore's 22-year wait for a men's team bowling gold at the SEA Games in 2017, along with Cheah, Timothy Tham, Ng, Goh and Saw.
Chia, who is making his World Championship debut, has enjoyed his own success at the youth level, winning two gold medals at the 2019 Asian Youth Championships.
The male bowlers' silver medal brought Singapore's medal tally at the IBF Super World Championships to five, making it the country's most successful campaign at a combined World Championships.
The Republic's first medals of the competition came from Ng and Tan, who clinched a gold and silver medal respectively after coming against each other in the first-ever all-Singaporean women's singles final last Friday.
The women's trios team of Ng, Tan, New and Iliya finished bronze medallists in the women's trios event on Sunday, with Ng, Tan, Ong and Cheah also claiming a bronze medal in the mixed team event after a 278-248 defeat by the United States in the semi-finals on Monday.
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