The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Sweet victory Syafiq and Zatil emerge national champs
- Wendy and Jun Hoong strike bronze in 3m springboard synchro
- Kamaruzaman claims front row spot in Sepang
| Sweet victory Syafiq and Zatil emerge national champs Posted: 20 Apr 2013 06:27 PM PDT KUALA LUMPUR: It was sweet victory for Muhd Syafiq Ridhwan and Zatil Iman Abdul Ghani as both were crowned Masters Open champions after a spirited display in the National Bowling Championships at the Pyramid Mega Lanes yesterday. The men's Masters saw a repeat of the 2009 final with Syafiq, the reigning World Cup champion, again getting the better of national team-mate Zulmazran Zulkifli 266-242 and 263-196 in the step-ladder final. In 2009, Syafiq was stretched to three games (228-201, 185-225, 222-213) by Zulmazran before landing his first national title. It was a big blow to Zulmazran, the 2001 champion, as he had qualified for the three-man step-ladder playoffs in first place with a 10-game total of 2,259. National back-up elite bowler Rafiq Ismail was second with a 2,251 total followed by Syafiq on 2,248. It was a close call for Syafiq as he managed to edge Rafiq 179-174 to reach the final. "I wasn't very comfortable with the lane during the first playoff. It was a tough lane and I knew not to push myself. I just tried to bowl well and pick up all my spares," said Syafiq, who pocketed RM7,000. "It was much better in the final. But it's never easy playing against Zul. In the 2009 final, it was a fight to the last frame. When you're up against a bowler as experienced as him, you have to give it 110% and that's what I did," added Syafiq. In the women's Masters, Zatil was in her element as she beat five-time winner Shalin Zulkifli 233-208 to win her first national crown. Zatil, the 2012 KL International Open champion, fired lines of 258-211-191-255-213-237-203-255-194-212 for a 10-game total of 2,229 to qualify for the playoffs ahead of defending champion Sin Li Jane (2,190) and Shalin (2,105). Shalin earned the right to meet Zatil after beating Li Jane 243-180. "I'm very happy to win my first national title. I'm lost for words," said a beaming Zatil, who took home RM3,000. "I was a little nervous going into the final against Shalin. Luckily, I managed to win it," added the 25-year-old national back-up bowler. |
| Wendy and Jun Hoong strike bronze in 3m springboard synchro Posted: 20 Apr 2013 06:31 PM PDT PETALING JAYA: Divers Cheong Jun Hoong-Wendy Ng Yan Yee earned a career breakthrough bronze medal for Malaysia in the women's 3m springboard synchro at the FINA Diving World Series in Edinburgh, Scotland, on Friday night. Jun Hoong-Wendy chalked up 283.80 points to bag Malaysia's first-ever medal for the discipline in a world-level diving competition. China's Wu Minxia Wu-Shi Tingmao, the reigning 1m springboard world champions, bagged the gold with a 332.10 total while Britain's Alicia Blagg-Rebecca Gallantree claimed the silver with 332.10 points. Jun Hoong-Wendy were not consistent throughout the five-dive contest but they certainly deserved all the praise for not giving up. Ranked fourth out of five pairs heading into last round, many would have thought Jun Hoong-Wendy, who were only paired up this year after Malaysia earned a quota spot for the event, were already out of medal contention. Luck also played a big role in their success, especially going into the final dive. Mexico's Laura Sanchez-Daniela Ramirez, who dived before them, flopped in their final attempt. Jun Hoong-Wendy then took advantage with a very promising inward 2½ somersault to earn 68.40 points to surge up the scoreboard for the precious bronze. In the first two legs last month, Jun Hoong-Wendy finished sixth in Beijing and improved two rungs in the following week in Dubai. "Our performance was all right tonight although we were quite nervous before the competition. Obviously, we are happy to win a medal for Malaysia," said Jun Hoong in a telephone interview. "We still have room for improvement. We are using the World Series to gain experience for the World Championships in Barcelona (in July)," added Jun Hoong. Earlier on Friday, London Olympic bronze medallist Pandelela Rinong partnered Leong Mun Yee to bag Malaysia's first medal – a silver in the women's 10m platform synchro. Pandelela, 2011 and 2012 national Sportswoman of the Year, will return to the pool today where she will bid for a second medal in the individual 10m platform. |
| Kamaruzaman claims front row spot in Sepang Posted: 20 Apr 2013 06:30 PM PDT PETALING JAYA: Musashi Boon Siew Honda Racing's Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman continued his fine form in the first leg of the Petronas Asia Road Racing Championship by claiming a place in the front row at the Sepang International Circuit yesterday. The 29-year-old earned himself the second spot in today's SuperSports 600cc grid after posting a lap time of 1:05.654. Japanese Katsuaki Fujiwara of BEET Kawasaki Racing clocked 1:05.569 for the fastest time while Mohd Zamri Baba, riding a Yamaha, was third quickest in 1:05.901. "It's good to start the race from the front. But I feel a bit disappointed because my lap time was faster yesterday (he clocked 1:05:330 on Friday)," said Azlan. Makoto Tamada, Azlan's team-mate, will start from the second row with Indonesian M. Fadli of Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki Racing and Ryuta Kobayashi of Musashi Boon Siew Honda Racing Malaysia. In the Underbone 115cc, Mohd Amirul Ariff Musa of GiVi Honda Yuzy Pachie earned pole position after clocking 1:22.783. Defending overall champion Hadi Wijaya of R9 Racing Team will start in second spot after posting a time of 1:22.974 followed by Norizman Ismail of Harian Metro Y-TEQ SCK Honda Racing in third with his time of 1:23.292. Japanese Hiroki Ono was the fastest in the Asia Dream Cup after he stopped the clock at 1:19.455. Starting alongside Ono will be Jakkrit Swangswat of Thailand (1:20.260) and Malaysian Mohd Fitri Ashraf Razali (1:20.368). Qualifying Results SuperSports 600cc: 1. Katsuaki Fujiwara (Kawasaki) 1:05.569, 2. Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman (Honda) 1'05.654, 3. Mohd Zamri Baba (Yamaha) 1:05.901, 4. Makoto Tamada (Honda) 1:06.020, 5. M.Fadli (Kawasaki) 1:06.147. Underbone 115cc: 1. Mohd Amirul Ariff Musa (Honda) 1:22.783, 2. Hadi Wijaya (Yamaha) 1:22.974, 3. Norizman Ismail (Honda) 1:23.292, 4. Kazuki Masaki (Honda) 1:23.351, 5. Affendi Rosli (Honda) 1:23.370. Asia Dream Cup: 1. Hiroki Ono (Jpn) 1:19.455, 2. Jakkrit Swangswat (Tha) 1:20.260, 3. Mohd Fitri Ashraf Razali (Mas) 1:20.368, 4. Dwi Satria (Ina) 1:20.539, 5. Kanatat Jaiman (Tha) 1:20.806. |
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