Karnataka’s bowling prowess shone bright at the 34th ARC National Tenpin Bowling Championship in Bengaluru. Kishan R. defended his men’s honor with a second title, while Preml J. ended 15 years of women’s frustration with her first national win. Held at Amoeba on Church Street, the event concluded Monday amid roaring crowds.
The men’s final pitted top seed Kishan against qualifier Akash Ashok Kumar. Kishan methodically built a 208-191 edge in game one, then peaked at 244-238 in game two for a 452-429 victory. Akash earned his spot by crushing Shanmugananda 358-308 and Dhruv Sarda 476-374 in stepladder rounds.
Women’s action saw fourth seed Preml outduel top seed Sabina Athika. Leading 188-168 initially, Preml clinched the second game tightly, totaling 332-308. Her path included triumphs over Shabina Kasmani (357-338) and Anukriti Bishnoi (422-409).
Awards recognized excellence: Anirudhan Sanjivi (TN) and Suchita S. Kumar (Kerala) as promising talents. Kishan notched 11 games over 225 pins and a men’s 6-game high of 1369. Sabina led women with 4 games over 200 and 1122 in six games.
As tenpin bowling gains momentum in India, Karnataka’s double triumph signals rising standards and fierce competition ahead.