Ex-world champ Rivera wins Nat’l Open mixed open title

Rivera, representing Tenpin Bowling Association of Makati (TBAM) Cuisiners, defeated Raoul Miranda of TBAM in the best-of-three games championship round, (211-170) and (213-201). (Pexels Photo)

MANILA – National coach Biboy Rivera ruled the mixed open division in the Philippine National Open held on Oct. 30 at the Coronado Lanes in Starmall Edsa, Mandaluyong City.

Rivera, representing Tenpin Bowling Association of Makati (TBAM) Cuisiners, defeated Raoul Miranda of TBAM in the best-of-three games championship round, (211-170) and (213-201).

Rivera, a former world champion and 2010 Asian Games gold medalist, downed Kenzo Umali of RP-MBA Cuisiniers (187-178) in the quarterfinal and Ivan Malig of RP Cuisiniers (259-204) in the semifinal.

Miranda, on the other hand, advanced to the final after posting victories over Gospel Gahol of Pearl Bowlers Association of Parañaque (179-168) in the quarters and Lara Posadas-Wong of RP-Pearl Bowlers Association of Parañaque (191-162) in the semis.

Malig and Posadas-Wong settled for third place in the tournament organized by the Philippine Bowling Federation Inc.

“I would say that my performance during the final was very steady and personally, I am happy with my execution in pressure situations,” said Malig, who won the team-of-four event gold medal at the 2022 Vietnam SEA Games with Merwin Tan, Ian Dychangco and Patrick Nuqui.

The other female participants in the Philippine Open were Krizziah Tabora-Macatula, Mades Arles, Rachelle Leon, Alyssa Ty, Dale Lazo and Grace Gella.

“Luckily, I was able to get into the Top 8. I am the only female who made it,” said Posadas-Wong, who has been with the national team since 2010.

When asked about her performance in the National Open, she replied: “I think it could have been better. I was off to a good start, I even scored good during the Top 8. Too bad, I was not able to adjust in the Top 4 match”.

Posadas-Wong’s first tournament as a national bowler was the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China. She won the Asian Bowling Federation Tour Hong Kong leg (2019) and Philippine International Open (2017) and was a member of the team that won the silver medal at the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG) in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.

Posadas-Wong also pocketed the bronze medal at the 2015 (Singapore), 2017 (Malaysia) and 2019 (Manila) SEA Games.

Meanwhile, an eight-member team accompanied by Rivera and Jojo Cañare will leave on Nov. 9 to join the International Bowling Federation (IBF) World Cup scheduled from Nov. 13 to 23 at the Suncity Bowl in Queensland, Australia.

Joining the trip are Tan, Kenneth Chua, Posadas-Wong, Tabora-Macatula, Arles, Leon, Jordan Dinham and Emerson Gotencio.

Tan ended the country’s 11-year gold medal drought in bowling when he ruled the men’s singles event in the Vietnam SEA Games last May. It was the same event won by Frederick Ong in the 2011 edition hosted by Indonesia.

His second gold medal was in the team-of-four event with Malig, Ian Dychangco and Patrick Nuqui.

Tan will be making his third appearance in the World Cup. He finished 11th in Las Vegas (2018) and Indonesia (2019).

Tabora-Macatula won the Qubica AMF Bowling World Cup in Hermosilio, Mexico (2017), making her the fifth Filipino to lift the trophy after Paeng Nepomuceno (Iran, 1976; Indonesia, 1980; France, 1992; Ireland, 1996), Lita dela Rosa (Colombia, 1978), Bong Coo (Thailand, 1979) and Christian Jan Suarez (Honduras, 2003).

“Since my return last July, I have been training and joining tournaments to prepare for the World Cup in Australia,” said Tabora-Macatula of Sta. Lucia East Tenpin Bowling Association/Prima.