A BAHRAIN resident has been selected as a member of the Philippines’ national ten-pin bowling team, it has emerged.
Twenty-nine-year-old Filipino expatriate Emerson Gotencio was on Monday announced by the Philippine Bowling Federation (PBF) as one of 21 players who have made it onto the 2019 National Pool.
Gotencio becomes the first-ever Bahrain-based player to be named onto the squad, which is managed by some of the Philippines’ greatest bowlers, including four-time World Cup of Bowling winner and Asian Games gold-medallist Paeng Nepomuceno, four-time World champion and five-time Asian Games gold-medallist Bong Coo and former World champion and Asian Games gold-medallist Engelberto ‘Biboy’ Rivera, among others.
“I am truly thankful and humbled for being named onto the Philippine team,” Gotencio told the GDN yesterday. “It is a tremendous honour and I hope to make the most of this wonderful opportunity to represent my country in the sport I love.
“A big thanks to everyone in the PBF for believing in me and to all my colleagues in Bahrain bowling, without whom I would not have been able to develop my skills and be considered for the Philippine team.”
Gotencio began his amateur bowling career at the age of 13. After eight years of playing, he was forced to stop for six years due to injury, but has since found his way back and is now considered to be one of the best Filipino bowlers based in the region.
The former Sacred Heart School student has won many national and regional tournaments since, both as an individual entrant and as part of a team. He currently plays for Al Hala Club in the national bowling league.
A total of 11 men and 10 women were named by the PBF for the 2019 National Pool on Monday. Aside from Gotencio, the men’s squad include Merwin Tan, Patrick Nuqui, Kenzo Umali, Kayle Abad, Kenneth Chua, Raoul Miranda, Frederick Ong, Paulo Valdez, Kevin Cu and Enzo Hernandez. The women’s team features Bea Hernandez, Norel Nuevo, Grace Gella, Alyssa Ty, Liza del Rosario, Alexis Sy, Lara Posadas, Dyan Coronacion, Mades Arles and Rachelle Leon.