Esther Cheah

Esther Cheah
Personal information
Native nameCheah Mei Lan
Full nameEsther Cheah Mei Lan
NationalityMalaysian
Born (1986-03-31) 31 March 1986 (age 38)
Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Height164 cm (5 ft 5 in)
Weight50 kg (110 lb)
Sport
Country Malaysia
SportBowling
Event(s)singles, trio, team of 5, masters
Medal record
Women's Ten-pin Bowling
Representing  Malaysia
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
World Bowling Championships 3 – 1
Asian Games 3 4 1
Southeast Asian Games 8 2 3
Total 14 6 5
WTBA World Tenpin Bowling Championships
Gold medal – first place 2005 Aalborg singles
Gold medal – first place 2007 Monterrey team of five
Gold medal – first place 2017 Las Vegas team of five
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Henderson team of five
Asian Bowling Championships
Gold medal – first place 2008 Hong Kong doubles
Gold medal – first place 2016 Hong Kong doubles
Silver medal – second place 2008 Hong Kong team of five
Silver medal – second place 2016 Hong Kong team of five
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Hong Kong all events
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 2006 Doha singles
Gold medal – first place 2006 Doha team of five
Gold medal – first place 2018 Jakarta-Palembang trios
Silver medal – second place 2006 Doha trios
Silver medal – second place 2006 Doha all events
Silver medal – second place 2006 Doha masters
Silver medal – second place 2018 Jakarta-Palembang team of six
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Gangzhou team of five
Southeast Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 2005 Manila team of five
Gold medal – first place 2007 Bangkok doubles
Gold medal – first place 2007 Bangkok trios
Gold medal – first place 2007 Bangkok team of five
Gold medal – first place 2015 Singapore doubles
Gold medal – first place 2015 Singapore team of five
Gold medal – first place 2017 Kuala Lumpur trios
Gold medal – first place 2017 Kuala Lumpur team of five
Silver medal – second place 2007 Bangkok masters
Silver medal – second place 2019 Philippines team of four
Bronze medal – third place 2005 Manila trio
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Singapore singles
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Philippines doubles

Esther Cheah Mei Lan (born 31 March 1986) is a Malaysian female medal winning tenpin bowler who has represented Malaysia in several international competitive events including Asian Games, Southeast Asian Games.[1] She is currently considered one of the most experienced and finest female bowlers to have represented Malaysia internationally.[2][3]

Biography

Cheah was born in Petaling Jaya on 31 March 1986. Her father Holloway Cheah inspired her to practice the sport of bowling during her childhood as her father was also a former tenpin bowler who claimed a gold medal in bowling at the 1978 Asian Games.[4] Cheah is also coached by her own father who is also the current national coach for the Malaysian tenpin bowling team.[5][6]

Career

Cheah rose to prominence in international level after claiming a stunning gold medal just at the age of 19 in the women's singles at the 2005 WTBA World Tenpin Bowling Championships, which was also her first senior level competitive event.[7]

After her debut success at the 2005 WTBA Championships, she made her Asian Games debut representing Malaysia at the 2006 Asian Games and went onto claim 6 medals including 2 gold and 4 silver medals at the 2006 Asian Games.[8] During the event, she also registered in history for becoming the first Malaysian female to win an Asian Games gold in women's singles bowling event after defeating Indonesian Putty Armein in the final.[9] At the 2006 Asian Games, Cheah followed the footsteps of her father by winning gold in the team of five category at an Asian Games competition whereas her father also clinched gold medal in the relevant event for men during the 1978 Asian Games.[10]

She was nominated as one of the recipients for the Malaysian prestigious sport award Anugerah Sukan Negara for Sportswoman of the Year in 2006 and 2012.[citation needed] She was part of the Malaysian women's bowling team which received the 2017 Team of the Year award at the 2017 Malaysian National Sports Awards.[5]

Cheah claimed her third Asian Games gold medal and her first Asian Games gold medal since 2006 in the women's trio event at the 2018 Asian Games.[11][12] This also ultimately became the first gold medal for Malaysia at the 2018 Asian Games and also was the first Asian Games gold medal in bowling for Malaysia at the Asian Games since 2006.[13][14] However Malaysian women's bowling team couldn't secure a gold medal in the women's team of six event during the 2018 Asian Games as they were thrashed by South Korea.[15][16]

References

  1. ^ "Athletes / CHEAH Esther". worldgames2013.sportresult.com. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  2. ^ "Esther Cheah Mei Lan" (PDF). 5 July 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  3. ^ "Bowling: Esther out to help Malaysia reclaim Asiad team gold | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  4. ^ "Support and sacrifices of sports parents - Features | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  5. ^ a b "CHEAH Mei Lan | Asian Games 2018 Jakarta Palembang". Asian Games 2018 Jakarta Palembang. Archived from the original on 28 August 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  6. ^ "Holloway Cheah picked for his contributions to bowling | bowlingdigital.com". www.bowlingdigital.com. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  7. ^ "Other Sports: Bowler Esther Cheah wins singles in World Championships | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  8. ^ "Esther Cheah". 2 January 2007. Archived from the original on 2 January 2007. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  9. ^ "15th Asian Games Doha 2006 - women's singles". 1 January 2007. Archived from the original on 1 January 2007. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  10. ^ "15th Asian Games Doha 2006 - women's team of five". 7 January 2007. Archived from the original on 7 January 2007. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  11. ^ "Malaysian women bowlers start Asian Games 2018 with victory in trios". bowlingdigital.com. 22 August 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  12. ^ "malaysias-invisible-blockade". doi:10.1163/2210-7975_hrd-1184-0423. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  13. ^ "Bowling: Women's bowling trios out to strike gold | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  14. ^ "Asian Games: Malaysia wins first gold in women's bowling - The Jakarta Post". www.thejakartapost.com. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  15. ^ "Bowling: Women's team of six fail to make it count against S. Koreans | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  16. ^ "S Korea dashes Malaysia's hopes for another gold in bowling". Free Malaysia Today. 24 August 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2018.