3rd July, P.Jaya: National youths, Isaac Russell Paul and Sharon Koh triumphed in the final leg of the SportExcel-NSC-Milo-MSSM Junior Circuit to claim the Boy's and Girl's Open titles which concluded at Pyramid Megalanes this evening.

Isaac, who hails from Kuching, Sarawak and since joining the National youth squad this year, took the Boy's title after he defeated Round 1 and quarterfinal leader, Faris Izwan of Perak, 206-182 in the final stepladder match. Isaac had earlier topped the Round-robin Matchplay with a total of 4790 winning 6 out of 8 games to take up top-seed for the stepladder finals.

Faris Izwan settled for second despite knocking out third-seed Mohd Syahrizal of Negeri Sembilan and fourth-seed, Sean Hooi of Pahang,

201-172-167 before finding the champion a handful in the crucial match. Mohd Syahrizal and Sean Hooi remained third and fourth.

Another national youth and two Gold medalist in the 8th Asian Schools Championship in Jakarta in April, Sharon Koh used her vast experience and compsure to come through easily to take the win in the Girl's Open division. Koh beat challenger, Noor Hanizah of Kuala Lumpur, 193-188 in the final stepladder match.

The runner-up and third-seed, took the first match by ousting second-seed and two-time Circuit winner, Nur Syakirah Yeoh of Johor and Perak's Nazrinnah Mohd Kamil, 192-181-172, only to loose to the champion in one match.

Koh had also earlier ouclassed the field in the 8-game Round-robin Matchplay with a total of 4721, 301 pins ahead of Nur Syakirah on 4420 in second, Noor Hanizah in third and Nazrinnah in fourth with 4229 and 4192 respectively.

In the Girl's Graded division, Yap Wi Yin ended Cheryl Cheong's winning streak by taking her second title of the year. But Yap had to force the top-seed into two games after winning the first game, 180-157 and 201-185 in the decider for the title. Her first win was in the Pahang leg in early May this year.

The champion and second-seed had earlier disposed off third-seed, Vinnie Lim of Negeri Sembilan and Pyramid Youth, Melissa Lee, 224-158-158 to earn a crack at the title. Cheong settled for second despite finishing top-seed in the earlier Round-robin Matchplay semifinals while Vinnie and Melissa retained third and fourth.

Top-seed, Mohd Hafizuddin of Kedah had to work hard for the win when he was forced into the cudden-death decider after he lost to third-seed

and challenger, Syimir Abdul Razak of Pyramid Youth, 188-205. But the champion fought back galantly to easily defeat Syimir, 201-163 to take the Boy's Graded division title.

Syimir had won the first match knocking out second-seed, Jonathan Chan of Pahang and Faliq Aimran of MSN-KL, 206-205-171 before putting up a strong battle witht the champion. Jonathan dropped to third while Faliq Aimran remained fourth after the stepladder finals.

The seventh and final leg marks an end to this year's hectic Junior Circuit and the top 13 plus the top 3 from the Sarawak/Sabah leg, top 15 Boy's Graded plus 3 and top 12 Girl's Graded plus 2 based on the rankings will qualify for the GP Finals which will be held at Pyramid Megalanes on the 19th - 20th August, 2005.

Photos by Tay Li Neo, MTBC.

2nd July, P.Jaya: Round 1 leaders, Faris Izwan of Perak and Sharon Koh of Kuala Lumpur maintained their lead at the end of the quaterfinals in the SportExcel-NSC-Milo-MSSM Junior Circuit Selangor leg this evening.

Faris posted a moderate 1282 to extend his lead going into the next round with a total of 3101, 123 pins ahead of his nearest opponent, Tengku Afnan B. Tengku Zahari, who moved up from 13th overnight with a superb 6-game series of 1366 to take up second with an accummulated total of 2978.

Sarawakian and National youth, Isaac Russell Paul knocked down 1279 and totalled 2966 for third spot followed by Pahang's Sean Hooi in fourth place with 2960. Perak's Eric Chai finished fifth with 2935.

National youth, Sharon Koh of Kuala Lumpur just managed to hang on to the lead after she totalled 2872 with Nur Syakirah Yeoh closing in on her in second spot with 2854 while Noor Hanizah Bte Abu Bakar finished third with 2776. The trio ended the quarterfinals in exactly the same position in Round 1.

Three-times Junior Circuit winner, Cheryl Cheong of MSN-KL, looked on course to win her fourth title this year when she stretched her lead in the Girl's Graded division with 2891. Her team-mate, Yap Wi Yin remained second with 2743 and Melissa Lee taking over third spot with 2654.

In the Boy's Graded division, 14-year-old Jonathan Chan of Pahang continued to lead the field with 2855, 84 pins ahead of Kuala Lumpur's Mohd Amirul Afif on 2771. Muhd Fafizuddin did well to move up from tenth overnight to third with 2729.

The top 8 in each division made the cut for Sunday's Round-robin Matchplay semifinals at the end of which the top 4 will proceed to the stepladder grand finals to detemine the seventh and final leg champions.

Photos by Tay Li Neo, MTBC.

1st July, P.Jaya: Faris Izwan Alwi Aizahar of Perak blazed the lanes as he took the lead in the Boy's Open Round 1 of the SportExcel-NSC-Milo-MSSM Junior Circuit Selangor leg late this evening.

Faris started a cracking pace to post 235, 267, 247 and 266 in the first half og the 8-game Round 1 He then followed it up with moderate 184, 171, 204 and ending on a high game of 245 to total 1819 pinfalls. First leg champion and current leader in the GP Finals ranking, Syed Muzzaffar Syed Mohsin of Pahang finsihed second, 80 pins adrift on 1739.

Twice Junior Circuit winner and national youth, Adrian Charles Dragon of Penang totalled 1710 to end up third just 1 pins ahead of Mohd Syahrizal Yassin of Negeri Sembilan fourth with 1709. National youth, Isaac Russell Paul, who normally compete in the East Malaysia legs, finished fifth with 1687.

Sean Hooi of Pahang (6th-1665), Mohd Khusairi Basha (7th-1657), Megat Khusairi (8th-1647) both from Megalanes Shah Alam, Eric Chai of Perak (9th-1647)and Xavian Ang of MSN/K.Lumpur (10th-1644) rounded up a close top 10 in a field of 41 Boy's Open youths.

Meanwhile, Squad B of the Boy's Graded division completed their Round 1 but none of the bowlers could topple the leader of Squad A, Jonathan Chan of Pahang, who retained pole position with 1693. Ahmad Amiruddin Afif of Selangor did well to take second spot with 1610 followed by Mohd Amirul Afif of Kuala Lumpur in third with 1609.

The top 16 Boy's Open and top 48 Boy's Graded youth made the cut for tomorrow's quarterfinals of another 6 games to determine the top 8 proceeding to the Round-robin Matchplay semifinals on Sunday, 3rd July.

Photos by Tay Li Neo, MTBC.

1st July, P.Jaya: National Youth, Sharon Koh and MSN-KL's Cheryl Cheong led by convincing margin in Round 1 of the SportExcel-NSC-Milo-MSSM Junior Circuit Selangor leg in the Girl's Open and Graded divisions this afternoon at Pyramid Megalanes.

Asian Schools Championship two Gold medalist, Sharon Koh scorched the lanes at Pyramid Megalanes this afternoon to knock down lines of 226, 236, 229, 169, 185, 222, 207 and 174 to lead the Girl's Open at the end of the 8-game Round1. Second spot went to the first and sixth legs champion, Nur Syakirah Yeoh, 71 pins adrift on 1574.

Pahang leg champion, Noor Hanizah Bte Abu Bakar finished a close third with 1558 followed by KSN-KL Nicole Teong and Piala Remaja Milo Ranking Masters 2005 champion, Fatin Syazliana of Penang in fourth and fifth positions with 1556 and 1505 respectively.

Meanwhile, MSN-KL's's Cheryl Cheong has gone from strength to strength after having captured three titles so far this year. The 14-year-old won her first title at the KL leg in April followed by her second in Johor Bahru in May. Her third win came in early this month in Seremban leg.

Cheong put up another superb performance by leading the Girl's Graded division at the end of Stage 1 with a total of 1619 and became the only bowler in the field to average above 200. Kuantan leg champion and team-mate, Yap Wi Yin finished 52 pins behind the leader on 1567 with Adlin Nadhirah Ghazali of Megalanes Shah Alam in third with 1518.

Another Pyramid Youth, Melissa Lee and Perak's Nurfarah Asyiqin completed the top 5 in fourth and fifth positions with 1493 and 1463 respectively. The top 12 Girl's Open and top 28 Girls Graded made the cut for tomorrow's quarterfinals.

Photos by Terence Yaw, MTBC.

1st July, P.Jaya: Pahang youngster, Jonathan Chan of Pahang led the Boy's Graded Squad Round 1 of the SportExcel-NSC-Milo-MSSM Junior Circuit Selangor leg underway at Pyramid megalanes this morning.

The 14-year-old, who finished first runner-up twice in the Pahang and Johor legs this year, totalled 1693 over the 8-game Round 1 to lead 58 bowlers in Squad A of the Boy's Graded division. Chan had also represented Malaysia in the Asian Schools meet in April this year and came home empty handed, looked set to go one up in the final leg before tha GP Finals.

Apart from one low game in the fifth, Chan's other sub-200 game was the last and eighth game where he scored 197. The leader was on a hot streak as he reeled off 226, 212, 264 and 221 in his first 4 games followed by 169, 204, 200 and 197 to cap off an impressive 211.63 average.

Perak's Khairul Mohd Yusop could not keep pace with the leader and settled for second 151 pins adrift on 1542. Sixth leg champion, Abdul Muhaimin Khairuddin tied third with Pahang's Hazwan Alias and Muhd Hafizuddin B Mohd Shakri of Kedah on a total of 1507.

The Girl's Graded and Open divisions will take on to the lanes for their Round 1 after lane maintenance while the Boy's Graded Squad B and Boy's Open will contest their Round 1 later in the evening.

Photos by Terence Yaw, MTBC.