Tabora is World Cup queen

        AFTER 14 years, Krizziah Lyn Tabora earned the distinction of becoming only the fifth Filipino to capture the Bowling World Cup international crown Saturday night (Sunday morning in Manila) in Hermosillo, Mexico.

        Getting a second crack at the world's most prestigious keg title in five years, the 27-year-old Tabora did not let the opportunity escape her this time by blasting Malaysia's Siti Safiyah Amirah Abdul Rahman, 236 to 191, in the one-game final after crushing Colombia's Rocio Restrepo, 249-222, in the semifinals.

        "I feel very happy and so overwhelmed," Tabora said moments after clinching the women's title in the 53rd BWC to join legendary Paeng Nepomuceno, the late Lita dela Rosa, Bong Coo and C.J. Suarez in the distinguished list of Filipino champions.

        Nepomuceno is, of course, the most spectacular among them and the rest of the world winners by taking the title four times — in 1976 in Teheran, Iran, 1980 in Jakarta, Indonesia, 1992 in Le Mans, France and 1996 in Northern Ireland.

        American Jakob Butturff produced a dominating performance to take the men's plum.  Butturff demolished Colombia's Oscar Rodriguez, 246-201, in the finals after knocking out Malaysia's Ahmad Muaz Mohd Fishol, 266-176, in the semifinals.

        Rahman set up the final meeting with Tabora by ousting last year's champion and this year's consistent frontrunner, Sweden's Jenny Wegner, 227-197, while Rodriguez ousted Venezuela's Ildemaro Ruiz Jr., 232-193, in the other semifinal matches.  

        The other Filipino entry, Jomar Roland Jumapao, finished 33rd in the men's division with a 24-game series of 4757 pinfalls.

        Suarez was the last Filipino BWC international champion, winning in 2003 in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

        Dela Rosa emerged as the first PH women's titlist in in Bogota, Colombia in 1978, followed by Bong Coo a year later in Bangkok, Thailand.

        Tabora is scheduled to fly home from Mexico tomorrow (Tuesday) night.