Paeng rules out retirement

Even though he is now 54 years old, bowling great Rafael “Paeng” Nepomuceno is not yet retiring.
“As long as I feel that I’m still competitive, I will go on playing,” said the six-time world champion, four of them during the much-coveted World Cup which he won in four different decades (1976 in Iran, 1980 in Indonesia, 1992 in France and 1996 in Northern Ireland).
Recently, Paeng missed a top three position by a mere by 26 pins during the World Cup national championship won by equally battle-tested Biboy Rivera and Liza Clutario, who both earned trip tickets to the 47th international finals in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Nov. 30 to Dec. 7.
Paeng continued, “This year, I won the Philippine International Open title for the eighth time—a record. I won it first when I was 17 and now that I’m 54, I think I hold a unique worldwide distinction of being the youngest and oldest bowler to win the same Philippine International Open championship.”
On the chances of Rivera and Clutario in the forthcoming World Cup, Nepopmuceno said, “Their chances are very good. We are fielding two veteran bowlers.”
Biboy almost won the World Cup last year when he came in third, adding he is bowling very well this year while Liza is playing a steady game ever since she won a gold medal in the World Women’s a few years ago.
Biboy’s biggest threat is a kegler from Canada, who won the World Cup twice, including last year’s. His other threat is Jason Belmonte, a professional bowler from Australia, who bowls two handed. Jason has also won a PBA pro title. The United States could also pose a threat since it has been sending the best professionals in the World Cup for the past few years. Likewise fielding their best bets are the players from Finland, Sweden, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and Japan.
On the other hand, Paeng explained, “I am not familiar with the ladies division lineup but I think Liza’s biggest threat is the US’ No. 1 pro bowler. Of course, the Korean and Singaporean competitors, who did well in the recent World Women’s championship, are not be taken for granted.”
Just what is the Bowling World Cup? According to Paeng, the annual World Cup is not a competition where anyone can join from year to year. The competitor must first top the national eliminations which start with the player having to win the weekly finals to advance to the bowling center finals to qualify for the national finals. This process takes about 100 games and three months to complete before a national champion is declared and earns the right to represent the country in the World Cup international championship. A field of over 100 million competitive bowlers aspire to participate in the World Cup.
Acknowledged as the most prestigious and most difficult individual tournament in the world, the odds are about 100 million to 1 before one can become a World Cup champion.
A Hall of Famer, Paeng is the only Filipino athlete to have been honored by three Philippine presidents: Former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, President Joseph E. Estrada and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. In 1999, Paeng was personally awarded by former International Olympic Committee president Juan Antonio Samaranch with the IOC President’s Trophy, the highest award for sports—significant since bowling is not recognized as an Olympic sport.
Of his many achievements, Paeng humbly said, “It suffices that I carry the flag and bring honors to the country and the Filipino people. That is my reward.”