THE Asia Pacific Merdeka Singles, Mixed Pairs and Fours Indoor Bowls Championship is set to become a World Invitational next year.
Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid (left), the President of Malaysian Lawn Bowls Federation (MLBF) and Asian Lawn Bowls Federation (ALBF) said, with the growing support of the sport over the years, it is time to elevate the status of the championship.
“I am proposing this championship be elevated to World Invitational from next year,” said Ahmad Sarji.
“We have 15 countries competing this year – 12 Asian and 3 Pacific countries – and the standard of the game over the years has improved tremendously. For us to move to the next level, it is only logical we invite more countries from around the world to compete to make it a more competitive and elevate the status of the competition.”
Ahmad Sarji said that it will not cost the sponsor, Sime Darby Foundation, who have been supporting the Asia Pacific Merdeka Championship for the last seven years, more than what they are sponsoring now.
“We are not going to ask for more money for the World Invitational, but if Sime Darby Foundation values it (World invitational) higher, we more than welcome their gesture,” quipped Ahmad Sarji.
The countries competing in this year’s tournament are Brunei, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Macau, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Philippines, Thailand, Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and hosts Malaysia.
A total of US$ 50,000 is at stake for the four events – men singles, women singles, mixed pair and mixed fours which replaced mixed triples.
The defending champion for the men singles is Aron Sheriff (Australia), women singles is Noor Zafirah Mohd Noor (Malaysia) and mixed pair is Azwan Shuhaimi and Noor Zafirah (Malaysia).
Source: Sports247
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