Asian Games: ‘UAE must right the wrongs at World Championships’

INCHEON, SOUTH KOREA: The UAE’s lone Asian Games bowling medallist has predicted a strong showdown from the hosts at the World Men’s Championships to be held at the Khalifa International Bowling Centre in Abu Dhabi from December 4 to 15.

A day after winning the only medal for the UAE bowling squad, a bronze in the men’s masters, Shaker Ali Hussain promised to use the experience gained from the Asian Games to “right the wrongs” on home alleys in two months’ time.

Bowling has been a steady source of medals for the UAE at the Asian Games, with the nation taking home 11 since first sending a team to the Hiroshima Games in 1994.

In Hiroshima, current President of the Emirates Bowling Federation (EBF) Mohammad Al Qubaisi made the perfect start by winning the men’s singles silver medal. Al Qubaisi also took the men’s doubles bronze with Faraj Al Marri, before that duo teamed up with Mohammad Al Ghazal for bronze in the trios.

South Korea has previously been a happy hunting ground for Hussain as he won the men’s singles silver and the trios bronze at the 2002 Busan Games.

In Incheon, the UAE were in line for men’s trios and team of five bronze medals, but fell short in the end.

“We have to look at the positives from here. For one, we have the World Championships happening in Abu Dhabi and this competition can be seen as a practice. We have a new coach and a couple of youngsters and this has been a good time for team bonding,” Hussain told Gulf News.

“The World Championships will be our home event and we will need to give our best. We came close to medals on at least two occasions. We have to right the wrongs.”