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Lawn bowls: Azim catching up

Devinder Singh

AZIM Azami Ariffin could soon rival World No 1 Safuan Said after winning bronze in the men's singles at the Champion of Champions tournament in Aberdeen, Scotland, on Monday.

Azim equalled Safuan Said’s third place finish in the same event last year.
Azim equalled Safuan Said’s third place finish in the same event last year.

National singles champion Azim equalled Safuan's third place finish in the same event last year and his feat will enable him to join his illustrious teammate in the top-10 of the next world rankings list.

Azim ended the preliminary round with an 8-3 record to finish second in his section before beating Roger Jones of Wales 8-3, 8-6 in the quarter-finals.

But Azim was out of his depth in the semi-finals, losing 11-1, 11-1 to Scotland's Wayne Hogg, who in turn lost in the final against Brett Wilkie of Australia 12-3, 11-9.

Ku Nur Hazirah Ku Yaacob, a surprise winner of the national championships, was unable to make the same impact in the women's singles, ending her preliminary section with a 4-6 record.


Malaysia Lawn Bowls Federation (MLBF) president Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid said Azim's performance proved the national body's development programme is bearing fruit.

"I congratulate Azim for his impressive performance," said Ahmad Sarji during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur yesterday to announce MLBF's hosting of the 4th Sime Darby Asia Pacific Merdeka Indoor Championships and 13th Asia Pacific Bowls Championships next month.

The Asia Pacific Merdeka Indoor Championship will run from Saturday till Wednesday at the Bayuemas Indoor Bowls Stadium in Klang with 24 national bowlers drawn into four squads taking on bowlers from 12 other countries in the men's and women's singles and the mixed pairs and triples events.

That is followed by the Asia Pacific Bowls Championship at the Bukit Kiara Lawn Bowls Complex on Aug 8-16 which Malaysia will host for only the second time.

Twenty countries have confirmed participation.

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