Bowling: Defending champion Syaidatul Afifah doesn't want to feel 'too comfy'

Syaidatul Afifah Badrul Hamidi does not want to feel too comfortable with her position as the defending champion of the Malaysian International Open Bowling Championship.

The national elite athlete finished the first round match of the Women's Open Masters finals in second spot with 1,828 pinfalls, 16 pins behind Bernice Lim of Singapore, who accumulated 1,844 pins.

"I started well until the fifth game when the lane became slippery and I had to adjust my throw. I still played as usual and happy with the scores today," she told reporters here, today.

The Perak-born lass, who has just recovered from a back injury, said she was satisfied with her performance today despite a two-month break from bowling.

Asked about the second round tomorrow, Syaidatul Afifah said she is wary of the threat posed by her Singapore rival, who made up for the absence of some of the world's best players.

The others who got past the first round are Radin Nur Najwa Arifah Radin Dzulfakar, Nora Lyana Nastasia Norkamal and Natasha Roslan.

For the men's category, defending champion Park Jong Woo of South Korea topped the first block with a record 1,865 pins.

The others listed are Adrian Ang, Alex Liew, Tun Al Hakim Tun Hasnul Azam and Muhd ​​Nur Aiman ​​Khairuddin.

Syaidatul Afifah and Park are the top seed in the first round of the tournament played at Sunway Mega Lanes, Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall.

Meanwhile, in the qualifying round, only eight men and six women qualified for the second round.

The men are Ahmad Muaz Fishol, Timmy Tan, Adrian Ang and Alex Liew (elite athletes), Sam Cooley (Australia), Michael Mark (Hong Kong), Darren Ong and Marcus Leong (Singapore).

The women are Sin Li Jane, Dayang Khairuniza Dhiyana Abang Jamalidon and Victoria Chin (elite athletes), Kim Ji Yeon (South Korea), Geraldine Ng and Joey Yeo (Singapore).

The second round tomorrow will see 24 men and 16 women vying to emerge as the three best players in each category to qualify for the step ladder final.

The 16 men and 10 women who have qualified for second round are:

Men's Master Open First Round:

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1. Park Jong Woo (KOR) 1,865 pins

2. Tommy Jones (USA) 1,861

3. Brandan Tan (SIN) 1,819

4. Adrian Ang (MAS) 1,806

5. Michael Mak (HKG) 1,794

6. Alex Liew (MAS) 1,793

7. Timothy Tham (SIN) 1,784

8. Ryan Lalisang (INA) 1,770

9. Yeri Ramadona (INA) 1,737

10. Muhd ​​Jaris Goh (SIN) 1,732

11. Dominic Barrett (ENG) 1,722

12. Hengki Susanto (INA) 1,718

13. Lau Kwun Ho (HKG) 1,718

14. Annop Arromsaranon (THA) 1,711

15. Tun Al Hakim Tun Hassnul Azam (MAS) 1,707

16. Muhd ​​Nur Aiman ​​Khairuddin (MAS) 1,707

Women's Master Open First Round:

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1. Bernice Lim (SIN) 1,844 pins

2. Syaidatul Afifah Badrul Hamidi (MAS) 1,828

3. Joy Yap Jing Ying (SIN) 1,798

4. Tannya Roumimper (INA) 1,790

5. Radin Nur Najwa Arifah Radin Dzulfakar (MAS) 1,790

6. Nora Lyana Nastasia Norkamal (MAS) 1,777

7. Kim Ji Yeon (KOR) 1,752

8. Natasha Roslan (MAS) 1,752

9. Sim Gyeol Lee (KOR) 1,735

10. Im A Rang (KOR) 1,724