By Jerome Lagunzad
Krizziah Lyn Tabora’s introduction to the sport of bowling started when she only has her curious mind and enthusiastic body as her primary tools.
Then just a six-year old, Krizziah would be brought along by his father Delfin every weekend in bowling lanes around Quezon City as the elder Tabora tried to hone his skills good enough to join local tourneys while teaching the sport’s basics to then his 11-year old son Allen.
But as fate would have it, it was Krizziah who eventually fell in love with the sport that’s been a source of the national pride since Hall of Famer Paeng Nepomuceno, now serving as her coach, bag one title after another to cement his place in the pantheon of bowling greats.
“‘Yung Kuya ko po talaga ‘yung gusto ng father ko matuto ng bowling. Pero ako ‘yung nag-end na maglalaro pala,” said a cheerful Tabora, 26, in a phone interview with Tempo-Bulletin.
While Allen is doing well in terms of handling their family business, Krizziah also continues to make a good account of herself underscored by her stunning title run in the women’s division of the 53rd Qubica AMF Bowling World Cup Champions in Hermosillo, Mexico last November.
“Overwhelmed pa rin. Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala sa mga nangyari,” said the Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship degree holder from Miriam College, adding she’s trying her best to keep her life normal as before.
“As of now, wala pa naman po masyadong nagbago. Mas dumami lang ang nakakakilala na sa akin.”
Of course, Tabora helped the Philippines snapped a 14-year dry spell in the world stage since male counterpart Christian Suarez did the trick back in 2003. She also emerged as the third Filipina to achieve such remarkable feat after Lita dela Rosa in 1978 and Olivia “Bong Coo” Garcia in 1979.
While spoils already came her way as Senators Manny Pacquiao and Tito Sotto already handed her P150,000 each for her title conquest, Tabora will add another silverware to her trophy case as she will be named as one of the three Athlete of the Year awardees by the Philippine Sportswriters Association next month at Manila Hotel.
“Sobrang honored po kasi ang laki ng award na ibibigay nila sa akin. Nakaka-overwhelm rin talaga kasi hindi ko ini-expect na aabot ako sa ganung stage na mabibigyan ako ng ganung kalaking award,” she said.
Resting on her laurels, however, is far from Tabora’s mind. She’s about to see action in the 19th Sinulog Open National Tounrament in Banilad, Cebu City this week, making sure she’ll be in fine form for the bigger battles ahead.
Now one of the national team mainstays, Tabora said she’s also set to compete in the Asian circuit, most likely in Singapore and Malaysia, as part of her long buildup for the Asian Games in August and her World Cup title defense in November.
