Bowling: Double mission for Trish in Macau

Trish Khoo.

NATIONAL back-up squad bowler Trish Khoo will be on a double mission when she competes in the 2nd Asian Indoor Games starting on Friday in Macau.

She aims to help the team win the gold medal, and then to impress the Sea Games squad selection committee.

"I am very excited about the Games. I hope to help the team win gold as this is our best chance," said the 20-year-old from Sabah.

"Of course if I do win in the singles, it would be great but I don't want to pressure myself as this is only my first time competing in a multi-games like this."

Trish said the Asian meet will also be her best chance to impress and be included in the Sea Games squad.
"I hope to bowl in the Sea Games but my teammate Zatil Iman is also doing very well so far this year.

"So, I think the Games will be a very important competition for us, as whoever performs will be in the squad."

Trish, who is the only spinner in the national team, joined the back-up squad in July following an impressive performance that saw her win the Thailand Open Youth title in May. She finished second in the Indonesian Open in August.

Presently, a first-year computer engineering student at Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Trish is waiting to be transferred to Universiti Putra Malaysia to suit her new life with the national team.

"I have been training in Sabah all this while and have only started centralised training with the team since the training camp in Penang two weeks ago," she said.

"With the move to Kuala Lumpur, I will get to train under the national team programme and will not need to skip classes for training and competition."

Meanwhile, coach Foong Tat Meng said the Macau Games, which ends on Nov 3, will serve as an exposure for the team.

"I heard the other countries are sending strong teams, but it doesn't matter to me," said Tat Meng.

"This is a place for them to gain experience to prepare them to get nearer to the elite squad standard. But I am sure they will give the experienced bowlers a fight."

Tat Meng said the team, who will leave today, had only a short Raya break and resumed training last Wednesday.

The squad - Men: Zaid Izlan, Muhd Nur Aiman, Syahereza Fajrin, Jonothan Lim; Women: Trish Khoo, Zatil Iman, Sin Li Jane, Noor Hanizah.

New Straits Times