- SINGAPORE - The accolades continue to roll in for Cherie Tan as the Singapore Bowling Federation (SBF) named the 31-year-old the Bowler of the Year at their Chinese New Year dinner cum awards night at Peach Garden on Thursday (Jan 30).
SINGAPORE – The accolades continue to roll in for Cherie Tan as the Singapore Bowling Federation (SBF) named the 31-year-old the Bowler of the Year at their Chinese New Year dinner cum awards night at Peach Garden on Thursday (Jan 30).
Tan was honoured for her consistent achievements last year. She was the first Singaporean to win the Masters title at the World Bowling women’s championships in August, before becoming the first Asian to bag the Professional Women’s Bowling Association Players Championship the following month.
She also captured the SEA Games women’s team gold with Shayna Ng, New Hui Fen and Daphne Tan in Manila last month and ended the year on a high by winning the Storm-Domino’s Pizza Cup in South Korea.
Earlier this month, she was also the first Singaporean to be voted the World Bowling Athlete of the Year by the international bowling community and members of the public.
Tan, who is SBF’s Bowler of the Year for the fourth time, said: “I’m honoured and thankful for SBF’s and the Singapore Sport Institute’s support.
“It won’t be easy to top 2019 but that’s not on my to-do list. I want to start 2020 on a clean slate, focus on the process and see where that takes me. I have to continue working on my game, and I won’t be resting on my laurels.”
Arianne Tay was named SBF’s Young Bowler of the Year. The 15-year-old lifted her first senior international trophy by winning the Kaohsiung International Open Bowling Championship in August.
She also struck gold in the girls’ singles at the inaugural World Junior Bowling Championships in Paris in March.
The 15-year-old said: “I’m honoured and I didn’t expect to win this award. Last year was a confidence boost and winning those tournaments let me know I am of a certain standard now.
“I look up to all my seniors like Cherie and they give me great motivation to continue working hard because that’s where I want to be – winning world championships.”
SBF president Jessie Phua lauded the bowlers who did well on the world stage in men’s, women’s and junior competitions.
She said: “We are so happy to crown very deserving winners. Cherie is so dedicated to perfecting her sport. To stay in the game after coming so close for so many years and not winning the world championship says a lot about her determination and perseverance. And now, the most deserving person has won it.
“Arianne is part of a crop of young bowlers who are snapping at the heels of the senior players. It is a happy problem. Nobody is complacent because everybody is driven to be the best and earn a place in the A team.”
