Bright future for Malaysian bowling after junior success
The national junior squad's stunning haul of seven golds, one silver and five bronzes — and the overall champions' crown — served as a reminder that the conveyor belt of talent is alive and well.
It also underlined the steady rise of a generation ready to follow in the footsteps of their illustrious seniors, who have long been a powerhouse in the region and on the world stage.
The senior team's pedigree is undisputed, having emerged overall champions at last September's Asian Championships in Bangkok before dominating the World Cup in January.
Now, the juniors have shown they can carry the torch forward.
Team manager and Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress (MTBC) secretary general Maradona Chok believes the success in Doha is the result of a system that continues to evolve in the right direction.
"I'm proud of them. Coaches Azidi Ameran and Alex Liew did a superb job keeping these young ones focused throughout the entire campaign, which is not easy," said Maradona.
"It is a superb outing for this young team that comprised half from the state teams, as we don't have enough Under-18 players in the current national youth squad setup, especially for the boys' division.
"As this Asian Junior Championships allow up to eight boys and eight girls forming Team A and Team B, it's only right we take this opportunity to expose as many bowlers as possible to an official tournament. The 16-member team featured bowlers from 10 different states altogether."
The girls' Team A, made up entirely of national youth squad members, were anchored superbly by Qurratu'ain Izdihar Pozi, who stole the show by winning all five gold medals available in the girls' division.
Team B,composed entirely of state players, also impressed by claiming the team bronze.
For the boys, Team A had only two national youth squad members, but Penang's Aqil Faizal shone brightest, winning two golds in the team and Masters events, plus bronzes in singles and All-Events.
Team B's Affan Azmi and Kho Yek Zhen also proved their mettle, taking bronze in the doubles.
"This proves once again that we have a world-class grassroots programme that keeps our continuity," added Maradona.
"The main element is the ever-solid National Junior Circuit we run with our stakeholders. This has been our feeder to the national team — our most recent leg in Perak featured 956 players.
"The state bowlers who played in the Asian Juniors are the cream of the crop from the National Junior Circuit. The top performers were called in for a roll-off to win their spots, creating a very healthy and competitive system among the young ones."
With this mix of emerging state talents and proven national youth squad members, the Under-18 squad's performance in Doha has reinforced Malaysia's standing as a powerhouse — and offered a tantalising glimpse of the country's bowling future.
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