MANILA — The Philippines captured the silver medal in the mixed pair event at the Asian Lawn Bowls Team Championships in Terengganu, Malaysia two weeks ago.
Southeast Asian (SEA) Games medalist Ronalyn Greenlees and teammate Hommer Mercado made it to the championship round but they lost to Thailand’s Songsin Tsao and Chaitai Kanchanakaphan, 14-16.
On the way to the final, the Filipino pair defeated Malaysia (21-15) in the quarterfinals and China (25-10) in the semifinals.
Thailand, on the other hand, defeated Hong Kong (23-15) in the quarterfinals and Malaysia-A (18-17) in the Final Four.
A total 12 countries namely Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Thailand and Malaysia joined the four-day tournament. Malaysia fielded five teams.
“We’re happy to win the silver medal,” said Greenlees, a quarterfinalist at the 2008 World Outdoor Bowls Championship.
“With or without the help of the government, we will continue to join tournaments and bring honor to the country because we love our sport,” said Greenlees, who revealed that the players funded their trip to Malaysia.
Greenlees said that the lawn bowls team will participate in the 13th Asian Championships scheduled from October 10 to 17 in China.
Early this year, the Filipino lawn bowlers won three medals in Hong Kong and China.
The men’s team composed of Mercado, Paul Kitchen and Errol Johnson bagged the gold medal while the women’s team of Rosita Bradborn, Hazel Jagonoy, Marisa Baronda and Sharon Hauters pocketed the bronze medal at the 21st Tiger Bowls World Invitational tournament, which was held on March 10-11 in Hong Kong.
The same women’s team clinched the silver medal in the Belt and Road China Lawn Bowls Open in Shenzhen and Zhuhai on March 16.
Last year, the Philippines won one gold, three silvers and two bronzes in the SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The medalists are Robert Guarin, Emmanuel Portacio and Leoncio Carreon, Jr. (men’s fours, gold); Baronda, Nancy Toyco and Nenita Tabiano (women’s fours, silver); Greenlees, Jagonoy and Bradborn (women’s tiples, silver); Marcelito Pancho and Angelo Morales (men’s pairs, silver); Asuncion Bruce and Ainie Knigt (women’s pairs, bronze); and Elmer Abatayo (men’s singles, bronze). (Jean Malanum/PNA)
