KUALA LUMPUR — A long-overdue initiative to plug a critical gap in Malaysia’s tenpin bowling development pathway is finally taking shape, after being stalled for years by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress (MTBC) and the Higher Education Ministry (MoHE) have agreed in principle to launch a National University Tenpin Bowling Championships and Circuit by August 2025 — aimed squarely at athletes aged 20 to 25, a group long left without a proper platform for growth.
MTBC secretary general Maradona Chok said the idea was first mooted prior to the pandemic but was derailed when global sporting calendars were thrown into disarray.
“This idea was mooted before Covid,” Maradona told Scoop.
“I have always wanted to bridge the missing gap, as we’re losing athletes at their best — between 23 and 25 — when they show marked maturity in their game.
“MoHE was supportive back then, but Covid came and derailed everything. Now, I’m glad we’re finally moving forward with this initiative.”
While under-18 bowlers have benefited from the well-established SportExcel National Junior Circuit, and those under 21 can still compete at the biennial Sukma Games, many athletes aged 20 to 25 have found themselves with limited options and, in many cases, forced to leave the sport altogether.
The proposed circuit will not only give university athletes a platform to compete at a high level while pursuing their education, but also help MTBC identify and retain talent that would otherwise fall through the cracks.
“With the endorsement of MoHE, I believe this will be another successful platform for bowling, like the SportExcel National Junior Circuit,” added Maradona.
The championship will feature both team and individual events, with the former limited to university and college teams competing in zonal and grand final stages, while the individual competition will be open to all athletes aged 18 to 27.
Tentatively, the grand finals for the team event are expected to be held at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), as they already have an existing bowling centre. The venue for the individual event will be confirmed soon. — June 9, 2025