KUALA LUMPUR: Shaqeem Izwan Teh Hafiz Teh left it late to clinch the boys' singles gold as he led Malaysia to an inspiring start on the opening day of bowling's Asian Junior Championships in Bangkok today.
In fifth place with two games left, Shaqeem made a late charge by posting a sizzling pair of 279 and 257 for a six-game total of 1,435 pinfalls to emerge champion.
Taiwan's Lan Shao Kang, the penultimate stage leader, settled for silver with 1,407, while Kuwait's Abdulrahman Alkandari claimed bronze after chalking up 1,406 pinfalls.
"I was trailing the top spot by 99 pins at the halfway stage," said Shaqeem, who emulated Tun Hakim Tun Hasnul Azam in being crowned the boys' singles winner in 2017.
"With such big difference to catch up, all I wanted was to fight for silver or bronze, but it turned out way better.
"This is the biggest win of my life. I have never won gold in an official event before."
Shaqeem is not about to rest on his laurels just yet as he has set his sights on helping Malaysia win the team event.
"I don't want the momentum to stop here. This is just the beginning, the ultimate aim is to win the team event," he added.
Compatriots Airel Amri Suhaimi (1,300), Syabil Azam Syamsul (1,286) and Izz Naqiuddin Putera Islahuddin (1,285) finished 16th, 18th and 19th, respectively, in the 63-player standings.
In the girls' division, Anis Hannani Romzi was Malaysia's best finisher in fifth spot with a 1,198.
Ashley Victoria Lok of Singapore won gold on 1,334.
Shirlene Wong made it a 1-2 finish for Singapore by scoring 1,300 and the third spot went to Thailand's Ramita Sarntong (1,289).
Malaysia's Adania Redzwan (1,185), Nur Aqila Aini Faiz (1,107) and Nurul Anis Nabila Nizam (1,097) came in sixth, 13th and 15th.
