The 1st Asian Universities Bowling Championship was held from March 7-11, 2007 at Powerbowl, Power Plant Mall, Makati City, Philippines.

"This tournament aims to promote goodwill and fellowship among bowlers all over Asia at the collegiate/university level", said TJ Yusun, Team Captain of the host school, the Ateneo de Manila University from the Philippines.

All students who were enrolled in a college or university at the time of the competition, and who were duly accredited by their respective schools, were eligible to enter. Participants must bring a proof of enrollment (e.g. school ID). Each school could send any number of teams.

Divided into two divisions - men and women - players from Ateneo De Manila University, College of St. Benilde, Nanyang Technological University, National University of Singapore, Universiti Malaya, Universiti Teknologi Mara, University of Sto. Thomas and University of the Philippines competed in Singles, Doubles, 4-player Team (six games each), All Events (18 games) followed by the single-elimination Masters finals of the top 16 men and women.

Melvyn Tan, National University of Singapore, captured the title in men's Singles with 1368 six-game total and an average of 228.00. Tan had a high game of 278 and two games over 240, but a low game of 159 in the third almost cost him the title. Mohd Noer, Universiti Teknologi Mara, finished with 227, 237 and 257 but fell five pins short to earn silver with 1363. Bronze went to Casey Yu, Ateneo De Manila University, who had three (!!) 270-plus games but also games of 139 and 171 to land in third with 1359.

Women's Singles champ Zatil Iman (left), Universiti Teknologi Mara, outlasted the men with 1378 and an average of 229.67. Iman had a high game of 267 and a low game of 206. Philippine national team member Apple Posadas, University of the Philippines, was 14 pins behind with 1364 including high games of 259 and 266. Siti Nur Syakila Mardyanna, Universiti Teknologi Mara, earned the bronze with 1307.

Casey Yu (right) took revenge in the Doubles event where he teamed with Scott Uy to win the title for the host school with 2847 six-game total and an average of 237.25 Yu posted a 1446 six-game series (241.00), the highest of the entire tournament including a high game of 258, three games over 240 and two games over 220. Mark Ho and Renz Taylo from the College of St. Benilde landed in second place with 2679, with Mohd Noer and Mohd Zahari, Universiti Teknologi Mara, in third at 2662.

Apple Posadas (left) led her team mate Mades Arles to the title in Women's Doubles as she posted the highest women series of 1441 (240.17) of the four-day competition. Arles contributed 1178 for 2619 pinfall total and a team average of 218.25. Zatil Iman and Siti Nur Syakila Mardyanna, Universiti Teknologi Mara, finished second with 2550, while Ziran Nadian Ghazali and Dyg Adlina Sharine, Universiti Malaya, received bronze with 2513.

Ateneo De Manila University and Universiti Teknologi Mara battled it out for the men's team title. Casey Yu, Scott Uy, Edmund Lee and Timothy Ocampo-Tan rolled an 857-series in the sixth game to beat Mohd Noer, Mohd Zahari, Sufri Hasan and Mohd Hanafi (807) by 27 pins, 4975 to 4948. Bronze went to John Ng, Clarence Chan, Lee Jorwe and Raymond Wijaya from Nanyang Technological University, with 4756.

As the University of the Philippines had only sent two female players, Posadas and Arles, the team from the Universiti Teknologi Mara, Zatil Iman, Siti Nur Syakila Mardyanna, Nur Hanisa and Nor Rashidah (pictured), were not challenged and flew past their opponents to claim the title with 4971 pinfall total and an average of 206.71. The Nanyang Technological University with Camilla Chua, Jascelyn Teo, Phyllis Tan and Victoria Pan was a distant second with 4259 (177.46). Jacqueline Tanliao, Kisha Mendoza, Nica Hautea and Mikki De La Vega, Ateneo De Manila University, received bronze with 2971 (123.79).

Casey Yu (left) earned his third gold medal in All Events with 4153 and an average of 230.72 for 18 games (Singles, Doubles, Team). Mark Ho, College of St. Benilde, was next with 4063 (223.94), with Mohd Noer, Universiti Teknologi Mara, in third at 4028 (223.78).

Apple Posadas (right), University of the Philippines, secured the women's All Events title with a 1353 series in one of the make-up teams to finish with the highest pinfall total of all players - men and women - with 4158 or an average of 231.00. Zatil Iman, Universiti Teknologi Mara, took silver with 4069 (226.06). Ziran Nadian Ghazali, Universiti Malaya, earned bronze with 3991 (221.72).

Renz Taylo (left), College of St. Benilde, who had won the silver medal in Doubles eliminated local favorite Casey Yu in the men's Masters semi-final with 279-198 victory.

Mohd Noer, Universiti Teknologi Mara, matched Taylo's score when he defeated Jim Paolo Joquico, University of the Philippines, in the other semi-final, 279-12.

Taylo went on to defeat Noer, 223-208, in the final to claim the Masters gold. Mohd Noer (right), who has won a medal in each of the five events, had to settle for his third silver medal besides two bronze. Yu and Joquico shared bronze. Edmund Lee, who shot the high game of 299 in the Round of 16, fell to Joquico in the quarterfinal, 215-279.

Women's Doubles and All Events champion Apple Posadas, University of the Philippines, seeded No. 1, topped the men once again when she rolled the tournament's sole 300 game in the Round of 16.

The Filipina added 258 and 226 to advance to the final against the No. 2 seed, Singles and Team champion, Zatil Iman (left), Universiti Teknologi Mara.

Iman, who had games of 206, 236 and 259 in the previous rounds, secured her third gold medal with a 234-192 victory.

Siti Nur Syakila Mardyanna, Universiti Teknologi Mara, and Dyg Adlina Sharine, Universiti Malaya, received bronze.



The host school, Ateneo De Manila University (pictured right), was the best team in the men's division, while the Universiti Teknologi Mara had the best women's team.

The Gold Cup for the overall champion - men and women combined - went to the Universiti Teknologi Mara (pictured below.




Pictures and results courtesy of TJ Yusun, Team Captain Ateneo de Manila University.