BOWLING secretary general Bong Coo is eyeing Dubai-based bowler Uella Marcial to try out for the national team for the Vietnam Southeast Asian Games in May next year after playing well with the national women’s squad in the recent IBF Super World Championships in the United Arab Emirates.
“Uella is the top female bowler in Dubai, and we needed her to complete the squad and they delivered so we will consider her,” Coo said in the Philippine Sportswriters Association online forum yesterday.
Marcial, 33, teamed up with Rachelle Leon, Mades Arles and Norel Nuevo to bag a bronze medal in the world meet, a feat duplicated by the national men’s quartet of Merwin Tan, Kenneth Chua, Patrick Nuqui and Ian Dychangco, snapping the country’s 15-year dry spell in the blue-ribbon event.
“But like all the other hopefuls, Marcial will have to return to the Philippines and try out for the national team for the Vietnam SEA Games,” said Coo.
Coo said winning one or more gold medals is definitely the target in Vietnam and the bronze medal finish of in Dubai last week serves as the perfect springboard to help them attain that goal.
“Ngayon ang target namin is the Southeast Asian Games. In the past SEA Games, hindi kami nakaka-gold. Nu’ng panahon namin, walang problema. Kapag naka-bronze, umiiyak kami. Ngayon pag bronze, umiiyak din, pero sa tuwa,” said Coo, a world bowling Hall of Famer and winner of four world championships.
