Indonesian bowling shoots for golds in upcoming SEA Games

Indonesian students wave flags as they watch the torch relay of the Asian Games in Jakarta on August 16, 2018. – AFP FILE PHOTO

PALEMBANG, Indonesia — The Indonesian bowling squad is getting ready for the upcoming 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, with gold medals in its sights.

The squad, which is training in the national training camp at Jakabaring Sports City complex in Palembang, South Sumatra, has expressed its confidence in pulling off their best in the games, thanks to the proper training venue, which was used in the 2018 Asian Games.

“We’ve been conducting the camp for the past two weeks, and it will end in November,” said national coach Gatot Arya Nugroho on the sidelines of the training session in the camp recently.

He went on to say that Indonesia had a chance of winning two gold medals from the doubles category, individual or men’s team. The target was realistic as in the previous tournament, Indonesia earned one gold, two silvers and three bronzes.

The 30th SEA Games will be held in the Philippines from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.

Part of the Indonesian team’s preparations for the games involved competing in the World Bowling’s Women’s Championship in Las Vegas, in the United States from Aug. 22 to 30, the World Bowling Tour in Thailand from Sept. 22 to 28 and the Asian Tenpin Bowling Championship in Kuwait from Oct. 20 to 30.

Before reaching the games, Indonesia will have to fight hard in the Qubica AMF Bowling World Cup in Palembang from Nov. 16 to 24.

Indonesian Bowling Association (PBSI) chief Percha Leanpuri said November’s World Cup would be a perfect warmup for Indonesia as it would compete against 92 other participating countries.

“We’ll have some benefits [in Palembang] as we’re hosting the World Cup, but we also have to stay focused on the SEA Games,” said Percha.