The Guangzhou Asian Games-bound Indian tenpin bowling team looked a happy bunch. It was hardly surprising as the six men and three women, who have been the core of the team since February this year with a series of overseas tours besides a host of camps in Bangalore, have been preparing well for the big event.
Four (two men and two women) from the nine-member team besides a coach and manager were part of the Doha Asian Games team and have a wealth of experience. The squad has also been impressive in recent outings.
“Realistically, we are targeting the 2014 games,” said R. Kannan, secretary-general, Tenpin Bowling Federation of India (TBFI), and manager of the Asian Games team. “We have been participating in the Asian Games since 2002 though the discipline has been on since 1978. At Doha, though we fielded a decent team, we were not ready then.
“But, the extensive exposures and intensive coaching that the team has had should provide us with some optimism in this edition,” said Kannan, who has been tirelessly working towards promoting the game.
National champion Dilbir Singh has had some scintillating performances of late along with Shabbir Dhankot while Pratima Hegde for the second successive year made the cut of 24 in the world championship recently. “National champion Sabeena Saleem of Tamil Nadu expressed her inability to take part well in advance, but the rest are all here and raring to go,” said Kannan.
Pat from coach
Coach Allan Chia of Malaysia, who has been with the team for over a year, praised his wards.
“They have been averaging highly in recent months and if they managed to do it consistently at the Games, there is no reason why a medal or two cannot come our way,” Chia said.
As many as 12 golds are at stake in tenpin bowling at Guangzhou, six in each category in singles, doubles, trios, team-of-five, all events and masters.
South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei in both sections and UAE men are the fancied nations at the Asian level in this sport.
