Masters of the Lane

PETALING JAYA (Selangor), Aug 26 (Bernama) -- Bowling icon Shalin Zulkifli (centre) and rising star Muhammad Rafiq Ismail (left) were the “masters’ as the curtains came down in the bowling competition of the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games Friday. The 39-year-old Shalin captured the women’s Masters gold in a nail-biting final to pip Indonesia’s Tanya Roumimper 223-222 for her third gold in this Games applauded by a delirious crowd at the Sunway Mega Lanes packing the final day of the bowling contest. Muhammad Rafiq, 20, stepped up next and coolly turned the tables on defending champion Yannaphon Larp-Apharat 213-190 avenging his defeat to the Thai also in the Masters showdown at the last Games and land his fourth gold, one more than his debut outing in Singapore two years ago. Senior bowler Alex Liew Kien Liang (right) delivered the bronze for Malaysia in the stepladder final men’s Masters. Shayna Ng of Singapore won the bronze in the women’s. "I still have a long way to go and my achievement today will serve as a guide for me to go further,” Muhamad Rafiq, who will heading to the World Championship in Las Vegas in November. Shalin and Tannya’s contest went into sudden death play after the final scores stood at 225-225 but it was Shalin who prevailed in the end. "There were moments when I found it difficult, when Tannya was on a strike roll but I egged myself on. I hope to bring in more medals for the country and my target next is the World Championship in November,” Shalin said. Malaysia’s haul this time was seven gold, four silver and three bronze, way better than the five gold, one silver and four bronze in Singapore two years ago. (photoBERNAMA) -- BERNAMA