KUALA LUMPUR: Victoria Chin assured Malaysia of a medal at the World Youth Bowling Championships when she overcame her more illustrious opponents to finish fourth in the girls’ singles event on long oil in Nebraska on Tuesday.
The 21-year-old posted lines of 180, 267, 199, 226, 207, 235 for a 1,314 total, averaging 219.0, to finish behind Swede Filippa Persson (1,390) and Americans Julia Bond (1,383) and Gazmine Mason (1,340) to make the semi-finals.
Victoria, who has been in the national senior squad for the last four years, faced Filippa for a spot in the final late yesterday. The losing semi-finalists are guaranteed bronze medals.
Malaysia’s last medal win in the girls’ singles was a silver through Hee Kar Yen in the 2012 Bangkok edition. The country’s only triumph in the event was recorded by Shalin Zulkifli in the 1998 Incheon edition.
However, Victoria must thank her coach and former national bowler Wendy Chai for advising the bowler to change her ball from the fourth game onwards.
Team manager Maradona Chok said the decision to switch balls proved crucial in her run into the semi-finals.
“Victoria was consistent and so too her teammates who all finished in the top 11 bracket. She communicated well with Wendy and consistently found the lines when she switched balls,” said Chok yesterday.
Nora Lyana Nastasia was Malaysia’s next best performer by finishing sixth on 1,271, followed by Natasha Roslan (eighth- 1,271) and Nur Syazwani Sahar (11th – 1,258).
Malaysian bowlers were competing in the boys’ singles late yesterday.