Paeng rolls rare 300, 299 in two straight games

MANILA, Philippines – Six-time world champion Paeng Nepomuceno established a new national record for four games last week at the 41st Manila Tenpin Bowling Association tournament at Bowling Inn on Taft Ave.

Nepomuceno, who was on a hot streak, scored a perfect 300 in his first game during the singles event qualifying, then rolled 11 more consecutive strikes in his next game for a near-perfect 299 followed by 268 and 256 for a new national record of 1123 for an average of 280.75 pinfalls per game.

Paeng, representing PBC and Nutrilite, rolled 23 consecutive strikes in the first two games only to be stopped by a seven-pin. His first three- game total of 867 is also a personal high, said Nepomuceno.

Paeng erased the previous record of 1103 set in 1994 by Marcus Reyes.

“I am happy that at 52 years old, I am still competitive and I surprised myself with the way I bowled and am happy I did it in a Philippine Bowling Congress Open tournament,” Paeng said.

Paeng was honored by the Guinness World Records a few months ago for the third time for having the most career world title –118.

“Bowling has been my passion. I have been bowling for almost four decades and will continue to bowl as long as I can,” said Nepomuceno, the US Bowling Congress international ambassador for bowling.

“Not even my age is going to slow me down. One of the reasons why I am still in great shape is because of my fitness regimen,” said Nepomuceno who still sports a six-pack abdomen.

“I work out at the gym four to five times a week, I go cycling and swimming for my cardiovascular activity when not in the gym and I also believe in nutrition supplementation.”

Paeng is the only bowler in the world to have won the World Cup four times. He was named FIQ Bowling Athlete of the Millennium and holds three unbroken records in the Guinness Book of World Records. Being a hall of famer, his seven-foot image is displayed in the entrance of the International Bowling and Hall of Fame museum based in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.

And only last April 19, in a ceremony held at the Metrodome Complex in Barnsley, England, Paeng received the World Bowling Writers Mort Luby Jr. Distinguished Service award for his lifetime contributions to the sport during the finals of the 2009 World Tenpin Masters where he ended third in his group. He is the first bowling athlete to get all recognitions from the World bowling Writers.

Paeng was named World Bowling Writers ‘World Bowler of the Year three times and is the first inductee in its Hall of Fame.