Perth all set for Asian Youth meet

Tenpin Bowling Australia Limited is all set to host the 13th Asian Youth Tenpin Bowling Championship with 120 bowlers and officials from 13 countries scheduled first to 10th Feburary at Fairlanes City Bowl.

49 boys and 32 girls will be battling for glory as the competition will commence with the official practice on the second February. Participants from China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Macau, Malaysia, New Zealand, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and host Australia will parade in the march past to mark the official opening on the first February.

The team managers' meeting, to be held at 2.00pm on the Wednesday, first February followed by the official opening at 6.00pm the same day. The 13th Asian Tenpin Bowling Championship was awarded to Guam and was to be held in July, 2005 but due to non-compliance of conditions set by ABF, Perth was chosen instead.

At the last championship held in 2004 in Hong Kong, host nation Australia emerged the overall champions as well as topping the boy's division with 4 Gold, 2 Silver, 3 Bronze medals and a fourth placing for 33 points with Korea in second with 2 Gold, 1 Silver, 4 Bronze medals and three fourth placings on 24 points.

Korea, however, emerged the girl's champions with 2 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze medals and three fourth placings. Singapore came in third overall with 2 Gold, 2 Silver and a fourth placing on 17 points.

Unlike in the previous championships, there will be two Gold medals for each division for Singles event - one over the Long Oil condition and one over the Short Oil condition.

There will also be two Gold medals awarded for the two oiling conditions. The Team of 4 event will be contested over two oiling conditions in two separate blocks of 4 games each.

Medals will also be awarded for the All Events and Team All Events. No Masters finals will be contested.

Strong challenges are expected to come from Korea, Singapore and Malaysia against the host, Australia. Asian Championship Gold medalist, Choi Bok-Eum and Choi Jin-A of Korea are firmed favourites to do well while Women's World Championship Singles and SEA Games Gold medalist, Esther Cheah, Zandra Aziela and Siti Safiyah will also be mounting their challenges for individual glory.

Season campaginers, Wu Siu Hong and ABF Tour Hong Kong leg champion, Michael Tsang will be giving Hong Kong their biggest hope of winning medals while SEA Games Masters Silver medalist, Jazreel Tan and reigning National Champion, Jason Yeong Nathan will also be staking their claims.

SEA Games Trios and Team Gold Medalist, Aaron Kong of Malaysia, has gone from strength to strength since moving up the ranks of the Malaysian National team while his teammate, Zulmazran Zulkifli is another formidable performer.

Australia will be counting their hopes on the consistency of Jadye Flanagan, Clair Johnston, Toni Woodcock and the talented Stephen Cowland.