08 Jan Sarawak to host IBF Youth Bowling as Malaysia wins bid
KUCHING (Jan 8): Sarawak will host the International Bowling Federation (IBF) World Youth Championships at Megalanes Sarawak, Emart Batu Kawa in 2026.
This was announced by Amateur Tenpin Bowling Association of Sarawak (ABAS) president Sunny Si Poh Heng at the closing of the SSC-ABAS-Senator Interschool Tenpin Bowling Development Programme Inter-school Challenge yesterday.
“IBF has given the Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress (MTBC) the official letter to organise the world event. This will be a historic moment for us and Sarawak because this will be the first time Sarawak, Malaysia will be organising the IBF World Youth Tenpin Bowling Championship,” he said.
Incidentally, Sarawak’s Nur Hazirah Ramli is one of two national youth bowlers who will be flying to Lima, Peru in South America to compete in the 2024 World Youth Championships this month.
Meanwhile, IBF chief executive officer Michael Seymour confirmed that IBF had chosen Malaysia over Hong Kong to host the 2026 edition.
“It will be held either at end of July or beginning of August 2026 and we are looking at between 200 and 250 competitors from about 30 countries.
“Each country shall be sending four boys and four girls to this championships,” said Seymour who was in Sarawak for the second time.
“I was here in September last year during the Sarawak Open to talk to Megalanes Sarawak, ABAS And MTBC about hosting the event and, at the same time, to look at the facilities,” he added.
He noted that the facilities in Malaysia like at Megalanes Sarawak are “very good for a world event.”
“There are a lot of lanes that we can use, the good location where it is about 10 minutes away from the hotel, world class equipment, tournament staff, shopping centre, cafe and restaurants at the ground floor,” he explained.
MTBC secretary Maradona Chok said MTBC brought the event to Sarawak because Megalanes Sarawak is one of the best bowling centres in the country and ABAS is very good in hosting events as they have the people and technical expertise.
“Of course, they have very strong support from the Sarawak government through the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development and Sarawak Sports Corporation.
“This is something that is crucial to host an international event. That is one of the reasons when ABAS approached us on the hosting job we would support such a move,” he added.
“Again, Sarawak has always been very active in tenpin bowling and they have been the leader in Malaysia in terms of development, doing changes and bringing the modern game to Malaysia,” he noted.
Also present at the closing ceremony were Senator Dato Ahmad Ibrahim, SSC CEO Awang Putrayusrie Awang Redzuan and ABAS vice president Robert Lu Nam Min.
Source : Borneo Post Online