Olaivar strikes 300 game in Sletba Open

The 18th Sletba Open rolled off Saturday at the Sta. Lucia Bowling Center in Cainta, Rizal. Making the ceremonial roll are (from left) Marianito ‘Nitoy’ Tamayo, PBC chair; Dr. Ronnie Mendoza, PBC president, and Abel S. Ulanday, Sletba president. PHOTO BY AUGUST DELA CRUZ/INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines—National Team regular Nico Olaivar scored a perfect game in the 18th Sletba Open which kicked off Saturday at the Sta. Lucia Bowling Center in Cainta, Rizal.

Olaivar, a member of the Pasig Bowling Association (PBA), rolled his 300 game during the doubles event on lanes 9-10 using a 15-pound Marvel S ball by Storm. He nearly made a back-to-back perfect score had he not missed the winning line on the 9th frame of the second game in the doubles event.

Tony Gamo of Sletba also nearly posted a perfect game as he made 10 consecutive strikes. But he somehow ”babied” his next roll, with the ball going a bit off target and leaving the 3-6-10 pins standing.

Sletba’s Susan San Diego, James Uy, and Jimmy Uy pace the team event, while the pair of Olaivar and Mark Ho of the Tenpin Bowling Association of Makati (TBAM) lead the doubles category.

Nico Olaivar

More than 60 players from Sletba, PBA and TBAM joined the opening of the annual event graced by officials of the Philippine Bowling Congress (PBC) led by its president, Dr. Ronnie Mendoza, and chairman, Marianito ”Nitoy” Tamayo.

Sletba president Abel Ulanday welcomed the participants and exhorted them to play their best. Tamayo expressed hope that tournaments such as the one being staged by Sletba will help spur interest and love for the sport. For his part, Mendoza said such events help discover young talents and paves the way for the present crop of national players to help train and develop the skills of young players.

Qualifying games are ongoing daily till Saturday, Oct. 11. Games start at 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. For details, please log on to www.sletba.com or contact Joy (0946 3837758) or Gani (0946 1654559) of the Sletba secretariat.

The tournament, which will run until October 12, is sponsored, among others, by Sletbar, Boysen, MGL Construction, F&J Construction, Marikina Rubber Corp., Boss Gas Inc., Amayra Travel & Tours, AsiaPhil, L & J Construction, Dau Long Philippines, Trident Inc., Pansit Boys, Sletbabes, Sletba Juniors, Manila Petroland, and University of Perpetual Help System.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer and Inquirer.net are the official media sponsors of the event.