KUALA LUMPUR: The gold medals keep raining for Malaysia at the Asian Tenpin Bowling Championships (ATBC) in Bangkok as Tun Hakim Tun Hasnul Azam-Shaqeem Izwan Teh Shahrul Hafiz Teh and Sin Li Jane-Natasha Roslan swept both the men's and women's doubles titles today (Sept 19).
Hakim teamed up superbly with debutant Shaqeem to top the 60-pair standings after posting a 2,647 total, edging out two formidable South Korean combinations: Park Dong Hyuk-Bae Jung Hun (2,615) and Lee Ik Kyu-Hwang Dong Wook (2,596).
Li Jane-Natasha, forming a stellar partnership featuring a PWBA Player of the Year and a reigning world singles champion, dominated the women's contest with a 2,614 total.
South Korea's Jung Da Wun-Baek Seung Ja were denied a successful title defence, falling 84 pins short (2,510) of Li Jane-Natasha.
Nur Syazwani Sahar-Nor Lyana Nastasia Norkamal ensured a strong Malaysian presence on the podium when they bagged bronze after chalking up a 2,450 total.
This took Malaysia's gold medal tally to three after Rafiq Ismail won the singles on Wednesday (Sept 18).
Li Jane was pleased as punch to be winning the doubles for the third time, following previous triumphs with Syaidatul Afifah Badrul Hamidi in 2015 and 2016.
In fact, the doubles appears to be an event where Li Jane tends to excel, as she was also a silver medallist with Jacqueline Sijore in 2012 and won bronze with Esther Cheah in 2019.
"It feels amazing to be winning gold again, especially after not being able to win one in Hong Kong last year," said Li Jane, who has certainly picked up her fine form from the PWBA Tour where she sparkled with four victories.
"For some reason, I've always performed well in the doubles. It's my third gold and fifth medal overall in the event. Anyway, I believe my confidence in tackling today's oiling pattern was the key to success.
"It was a great rivalry with Jung Da Wun again. I had to overcome her and (different) partners en route to winning in 2015 and 2016. In 2012, I was beaten to the gold by her.
"Hopefully, today's victory will help spark more successes in the remainder of the tournament."
Team manager Maradona Chok said Malaysia could not ask for a better start, sweeping three of the four golds at stake thus far.
"Kudos to the bowlers, it was a superb start. But what's more important is that we need to keep the momentum going," said Maradona.
"The morale is high indeed after Rafiq led Malaysia to a 1-2-3 finish in the men's singles. Buoyed by that, Hakim, who won the world title with Adrian Ang in 2018, combined well with first-timer Shaqeem to keep a 100 per cent record for our men.
"Our women didn't do too badly in the singles despite none managing a podium finish, as four were placed in the top 11. Today they showed their quality by winning gold and bronze."
Malaysia's men sounded a warning ahead of the trios and team events with two other pairs - Izz Naqiuddin Putera Islahuddin-Hafiz Zainuddin (2,592) and Rafiq-Syafiq Ridhwan Abdul Malek (2,588) - coming in fourth and fifth respectively.
In the women's competition, Faten Najihah Ahmad Faik-Gillian Lim also secured a commendable fifth spot after amassing 2,420 pinfalls.