I

ndonesia won another silver and the first medal from bowling on Monday after the women’s team of five finished second at the eighth day of bowling competition at Tianhe Bowling Hall.

The silver was the only medal Indonesia won out of four gold medals up for grabs at the bowling competition on Monday.

The team, powered by Tannya Roumimper, Novie Phang, Lvana Hie, Sharon Santoso and Putty Armien, collected a total of 6,340 points after completing six games on Sunday and Monday, second only to the Korean team who collected a total of 6,711. Malaysia won the bronze with 6,295.

“I was quite relieved that we finally won a medal,” said Putty Armien after the contest. “With this result we proved that we can be a contender in Asia.”

Indonesian Bowling Association chairman Okky Harwanto also said the victory was quite a relief for him because bowling was expected to be one discipline that would bring medals home to Indonesia.

“I praise them for their winning spirit. They really played under pressure, just as the other athletes who have won their medals,” he said.

Team manager Isra M. Tahir praised the Korean players for their spirit during the game. “We led over Korea in game four, but they fought back and turned it around in the next game. The Malaysian players were also the same. They managed to catch us, but fortunately our players regained their focus in the last game and defended their position until the end,” he said.

In the men’s team of five, Indonesia finished ninth out of 13 teams with Ryan Leonard Lalisang collecting a total 1,291 points, Hengki I 1,203, Diwan Rezaldy Syahrial 1,190, Yeri Ramadona 1,264, and Rangga Dwichandra Yudhira 1,200, for a collective total of 6,148.

The Korean team overtook the Malaysian team, which lead the class on Sunday, in the final game to claim to the gold with a grand total of 6,654. Malaysia finished second with 6,579, while Hong Kong claimed the bronze with 6,475.

“It was a very difficult situation out there for us today. We did not perform well in the first two games, but our coach made some adjustments to our bowling and kept talking to us during the final game. Everything fell into place after that for us to win the gold,” said Korean Choi Yong Kyu.

Another Korean, Hong Hae Sol, could not restrain his tears of joy after his team won the gold medal. “This is my debut Asian Games and my first gold medal, after having won silver in the trios. With this gold medal, I will also be exempted from two years military service,” he said.

Korean coach Kim Sung-joo did not even know that his team set a six-game record of 6,654, smashing the previous record of 6,579 set by Japan in 2006.

“I didn’t know the team had set the record. If it is a record, it came because of a good overall performance. We have worked hard for the Games and when we perform, others follow,” he said.

Although winning in the men’s team of five, Choi Yong Kyu missed the gold medal in overall event after Kien Liang Liew of Malaysia edged passed him in the last game. Liang Liew collected 1,354 in singles, winning his first in the doubles with 1,339, collected 1,330 in trios and 1,425 in teams to finish with a total of 5,448 to win the gold. Choi Yong Kyu, however, only lost by seven pins (5,441) to take silver, while his compatriot Bok Eum Choi grabbed the bronze with a total of 5,431.

“I have mixed feelings. Of course I am glad to have my second gold medal, and even more so, to have edged the Korean bowlers who are the favorites. But I would trade this gold for a team gold medal,” said Liang Liew, who won the silver in doubles at 2010 Munich World Championships.

“Guangzhou will be always on my mind. It was great to have won my first medal here, and it was a gold too. To return with two is like a dream come true. But to have returned with three would have been even better,” said the 2008 Asian Championship singles silver medalist.

Indonesian Yeri Ramadona finished 37th with 4,991, Rangga Dwichandra Yudhira finished 61st with 4,835, Hengki I finsihed 63rd with 4,803, and Williem Widjaja finished 73rd with 4,646.