Winning the team event gold medal at the IBF World Cup in Hong Kong yesterday was incredibly meaningful to national tenpin bowler Rafiq Ismail for a number of reasons. Rafiq and teammates Timmy Tan, Ahmad Muaz Fishol and Tun Hakim Tun Hasnul Azam edged Puerto Rico 3-2 in an exciting final at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium. The national bowling squad received a warm welcome from family and friends upon their return at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Malaysia won two gold and two silver medals in total in Hong Kong. Rafiq, who also won the men’s single silver in Hong Kong, said it was an emotional victory for him personally as his father, Ismail Nimat, was fighting for his life.

“Actually, during the second day of qualifying my mum called me and told me that my father’s heart could stop at any moment. He has been ill for a while and has issues with his heart, kidney and intestines,” said Rafiq when met at Kuala Lumpur International Airport today. “All I could do was pray for him and try my best to focus on playing. It did affect my emotions but I tried my best to motivate myself to do it for my family. “Unfortunately I was not able to win the men’s single gold but winning the team gold more than made up for it. “Alhamdulillah he is stable now and I will go and visit him at the hospital him now.”

The national team regular added that claiming a global men’s team title has long been on his list of targets. Winning the men’s team event gold was a historic moment for Malaysian bowling. “We have won many team event gold medals at the Asian and Southeast Asean level before, but this is the first time we have done it at the world level,” added Rafiq. “It has always been my goal to win gold at the world level because it is really hard to do. “The competition in the men’s team event is always tough and the margins are final. Just a few pins can separate the winner and the rest of the top-eight teams. “Being able to play on a custom-built alley at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium was also very special. It was a moment I will never forget.” Natasha Roslan also created history by becoming the first Malaysian female player to win the women’s singles at the World Cup. Natasha and teammates Sin Li Jane, Siti Safiyah Amirah Abdul Rahman and Gillian Lim also claimed the silver in the women’s team event.