Bowling Down Under: Maccabi Australia Games

7/10/06

First things first: I won a silver medal in the Masters competition. I am very happy and very proud of that accomplishment. Not only was it a long week of bowling – and a long week of travel – but as I’ve written in previous days, I wasn’t too pleased with my bowling during the first four days of competition. So to really push through and make it to the stepladder finals, with a shot at the gold medal, is something that was really important to me.

Bowling this morning was seven more games of scheduled play followed by a position round (1 vs. 2, 3 vs. 4, etc.). I started in fifth and went through each of my opponents, completing the day at 8-0, for a 16-game total of 3420 with bonus pins (10 points for each win, 12 wins). That put me in third and facing Adam Goldberg in the first match, with the winner to bowl Moshe for the title.

So I beat Adam in the first match and went up against Moshe. I then beat him 190-180, but we were bowling with international rules where they have this stupid thing called repechage. Basically that is where it takes only one game for the top qualifier to win the stepladder, but if their opponent is to win, they need to beat the top qualifier twice. So we went to a second game, winner take all for the title.

We moved from 15-16 to 13-14 and got one frame practice on each lane. On my final shot of practice before the final game, the small callous forming on my thumb ripped and I had virtually no consistent grip on the ball for the entire game. I was happy to have made it that far and to be standing at the end of the championships; at that point, it was only Moshe and I. And to Moshe’s credit, he bowled a solid game in the final match to take the title, even as I was struggling to finish with a 143 (my low game of the tournament).

We’re all pretty tired but relieved that the bowling is over. Sadly, it also means that everyone will be departing for home soon. Sydney has been a wonderful venue for these games and a wonderful way for many of us to reunite as competitors and as friends. I was so excited to hear that Yifat, Moshe, and Emil would be here – in addition to my Australian friends – that it just sweetened the experience. Add to that the new friends we’ve made, and Sydney will always have a fond place in my heart.

I intend on visiting Australia again. Maybe for the 2010 Maccabi Australia International Games (which are rumoured to be in Melbourne) but if not then, another time for sure. As a holiday destination, this ranks right up there; save your dollars or shekels or pesos now and start planning a trip today.

Tonight are the closing festivities at Luna Park and then in the morning it’s off to Los Angeles to play with the USY on Wheels buses. Before I know it, I’ll be back in New Jersey and reality will set in. Until then, we’re all enjoying the high of being in a wonderful community that we will surely never forget.

# posted by Matthew Halpern @ 3:28 AM