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SEA Games: Merwin Tan ends gold drought for PH bowling

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ABS-CBN News

(UPDATED) Merwin Tan scored a narrow victory in the men&#x27;s singles event of bowling in the 31st Southeast Asian Games on Monday, ending an 11-year gold medal drought for the Philippines in the sport.Tan finished with a total score of 1,292 to take the gold medal, just ahead of Thailand&#x27;s Yannaphon Larpapharat who had 1,286.Indonesia&#x27;s Ryan Leonard Lalisang took bronze with 1,221.It was a come-from-behind victory for the 22-year-old Tan at the Royal City Hanoi Bowling Lanes in Hanoi, as he rolled a six-bagger in the sixth and last frame to erase a 52-pin deficit. Tan&#x27;s bid for the gold was boosted by six straight strikes in the sixth frame where he scored 249, after a 234 in the fifth frame that bumped him up to No. 3 overall.&quot;Sobrang saya and shocking din po, na nanalo po ng gold ang Pilipinas. For the whole game, try lang po ako mag-maintain ng aking focus and execution. Execution, make good shots and maximizing every frame,&quot; said Tan. It helped that Tan is a left-hander, according to coach Biboy Rivera. &quot;Being a southpaw, Merwin had an advantage going into the last few games because the lanes were more difficult for right-handers,&quot; he explained.The Philippines last won bowling gold in 2011 in Jakarta, when Frederick Ong topped the men&#x27;s singles with Jeremy Posadas coming in second place. Filipino bowlers experienced a prolonged drought since then; they won just two medals in 2019, a silver and a bronze. Tan was part of the squad that won silver in the men&#x27;s Team of 4 event.&quot;I am so overwhelmed, after 11 years... I cannot thank the Lord enough. Talagang coming from behind si Merwin. We prayed he could recover, and he did,&quot; said PBF Secretary General Bong Coo.The other Filipino bowler in the competition, Ivan Dominic Malig, finished with a 1,087.

Merwin Tan scored a narrow victory in the men's singles event of bowling in the 31st SEA Games on Monday, ending an 11-year gold medal drought for the Philippines in the sport.