By Wilfred Pilo
SENSATIONAL tenpin bowler Nerosha Kegligit Thiagarajan is thrilled that she has been promoted to back up for the elite Malaysian women tenpin bowling squad.
This 23-year-old `Anak Sarawak’ of Indian and Kayan parentage is grateful that a place in the elite squad is now within her reach, as she harbours the thought of representing the country one day.
The former SMK Datuk Patinggi Abdul Ghapor student hit the media limelight in 2016 when she won six gold medals in the Malaysian Games (Sukma) held in Kuching.
DayakDaily recently caught up with this talented athlete, where she talked passionately about the sport she got hooked to when she was 11 years old.
“Yes, I am vying for a place in the Malaysian Women Tenpin Bowling Team going to the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines. But most of all, I am grateful that I am now promoted to back up the elite Malaysia women tenpin bowling squad. That’s the priority now.”
She revealed that the players going to the Philippines had not been announced yet; hence, everyone is practising hard and hoped to be picked.
Nerosha said the Malaysian women’s team was forever preparing and participating in tournaments abroad. For instance, they just came back from Germany, and their next date is the Thailand Open.
Coached by Tenpin Bowling maestro Holloway Cheah at the National Sports Council (NSC), Nerosha opined that every top men and women tenpin bowlers in the country were doing very well, and it was very hard to say who is better than the other.
“Everybody wants to be the best and to get selected for all championships, and everybody is always ready.
“Athletes in tenpin bowling, including myself, aim to be the best in the country and are well motivated to do it. Therefore, we all train hard, stay in shape and try our best to be in top form if we represent, and ultimately, win for the country,”
According to Nerosha, there is no specific ranking yet for top athletes, but they would be evaluated all the time over several months based on their performances. Every month, they have to go for a “roll off” period, she disclosed.
“So, to stay at the top of the game, every athlete is working hard and follow their routines and stay disciplined in what they wanted to achieve.
“As for me, I want to make my family and Sarawak proud if I can represent Malaysia in every tenpin bowling championship and, of course, at the 2019 SEA Games, if I get selected.”
She described the Malaysian women tenpin bowling team as very formidable now that they are the defending world champion after winning the World Tenpin Bowling Championship in Las Vegas, USA, in 2017.
With this reputation, she believed they are the team to watch and to beat at the 2019 SEA Games.
Nerosha disclosed that she hoped to become a professional bowler one day. Currently, she does not have a sponsor and receives her allowance from the NSC.
“There is a lot of sacrifices in order to do well in the sport, but I am injury free and very focussed on the sport. I am hoping my family and friends will pray for me to do well.”
Nerosha will be back in Kuching this September for the Sarawak Open Tenpin Bowling Championship, which is before the 2019 SEA Games.
She said if she is selected for the 2019 SEA Games, she would be participating in four events — single, double, trios and team events.
“In the meantime, I just practise hard and stay focussed.” — DayakDaily
