(L-R) National lawn bowler Pg Md Salleh Chuchu Pg Hj Tuah and Abd Rahman Hj Omar with Brunei Darussalam National Lawn Bowls Association president Dato Malai Hj Ali Hj Othman, team manager Rosita Hj Mohd Kamis, national caoch Tony Scott and national lawn bowler Hjh Amalia Hj Metali at the Brunei International Airport yesterday. Abd Rahman and Hjh Amalia will be representing the country at the April 8-16 World Indoor Singles Championship at the Warilla Bowls & Recreation Club in New South Wales, Australia. Picture: BT/Syarif Rasani
National lawn bowlers Abd Rahman Hj Omar and Hjh Amalia Hj Metali yesterday left to Australia for the April 8-16 World Indoor Singles Championship.
Abd Rahman will play a total of 10 qualifying matches while Hjh Amalia is set to face 11 opponents - with the top-two in each group progressing to the semi-finals.
Brunei's new national lawn bowls coach Tony Scott believes the duo will have the advantage of playing in similar greens, though he knows it won't be a walk in the park at the Warilla Bowls & Recreation Club in New South Wales.
"It's not going to be easy, but on the other hand, the complex they will be playing in has similar greens to Brunei," Scott told The Brunei Times yesterday.
"I'm sure they can be competitive. You know, just recently Rahman won a medal in Singapore (bronze in the March 28-30 1st Lion City Cup International Lawn Bowls Championship).
"For some of the other countries, it is a professional sport, especially for the Australians and New Zealanders.
"The Australians obviously play and live there and the New Zealand side pretty much base themselves in Australia and New Zealand where they are familiar with those conditions.
"The elite players are playing each other very regularly," added the Australian.
Abd Rahman is scheduled to go up against Australia's Tony Wood, Fiji's Samuela Tuikiligana, Hong Kong's Chi Leung Fung, Ireland's Neil Booth, Japan's Kenta Hasebe, Malaysia's Fairul Abd Muin, Netherlands's Andy Docter, South Africa's Bobby Donnelly, Turkey's Ozkan Akar and the United States's Neil Furman.
Hjh Amalia will get to truly test her skills against New Zealand's World No 1 and four-time winner Jo Edwards, who is in the same group.
She will also go up against Australia's Karen Murphy, Hong Kong's Tammy Tham, Japan's Hiroko Emura, Macau's Nikki Lee, Malta's Carmen Spiteri, Norfolk Island's Carmen Anderson, the Philippines' Sonia Bruce, Scotland's Caroline Brown, South Africa's Colleen Piketh and United States's Dee McSparran.
"I have played against some of them before and they were very competitive because they are world champions like Jo Edwards," said Hjh Amalia yesterday.
"I am confident because of the work I have done with coach Scott like personal training, one-on-one training, team training and physiological training - so I will do my best for the country and give all I can," added Hjh Amalia.
Abd Rahman also said he is prepared to put up his best for the nation.
"I will try to do my best in the tournament because there will be some very competitive games since most of the countries are sending their best players," said Abd Rahman.
"Maybe the most challenging opponents are from South Africa, Australia and Ireland because I have played with them before. It will be 50-50 with them, but I'm not too sure about the rest," added Abd Rahman.
The trio departed for Warilla along with team manager Rosita Hj Mohd Kamis following a flag handover ceremony at the Brunei International Airport in Berakas.
Brunei Darussalam National Lawn Bowls Association president Dato Malai Hj Ali Hj Othman handed the team the national flag.
