KUALA LUMPUR — Despite initial uncertainty that nearly derailed their participation due to regional unrest, the Malaysian junior bowling squad got off to a flying start at the Asian Junior Championships through Qurratu’ain Izdihar Mohd Pozi, who clinched the gold medal in the girls’ individual event by a razor-thin margin of just one pin.
Qurratu’ain demonstrated remarkable composure throughout the six-game series, finishing with a total of 1,239 pins to narrowly edge out China’s Li Yiru, who scored 1,238. The bronze medal went to Ho Yi Qing of Taiwan with 1,205 pins.
“It was definitely a close call, a win by the slimmest of margins. But a win is still a win, and I’m truly grateful for the result,” said a jubilant Qurratu’ain.
“It’s a reminder that every second, every move counts. I know I have to stay focused and keep improving, especially with tougher challenges ahead,” she added.
The victory was made sweeter by the initial anxiety surrounding the team’s participation due to war in Middle East.
Team manager Maradona Chok, who is also the Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress (MTBC) secretary-general, expressed his pride in the young squad’s maturity.
“I’m very happy with the way the team fought,” Maradona told Scoop when contacted.
“With the uncertainties earlier due to the clashes (between Israel and Iran), the team is happy to be here and now they are focused on taking the opportunity given to them to shine. It’s a golden start and hopefully more to come.”
Maradona praised Qurratu’ain’s mental fortitude in the final stages of the competition.
“It’s always nail-biting and coming down to the last few frames in bowling. But today Qurratu’ain held her nerves and kept her composure in the last three games as her five-pin lead was cut to two in the penultimate game and finally held on to win by one pin. Cannot get any closer than that,” he said.
Qurratu’ain extended her gratitude to her support system, which includes her teammates, junior coaches Azidi Ameran and Alex Liew, as well as Maradona.
Other Malaysian bowlers also performed creditably, with Adelia Nur Syazalee (1,197) and Balqis Nurdhini Khairul (1,190) finishing in fourth and fifth places, respectively.
The action continues with the commencement of the boys’ singles event next. — July 28, 2025