13th Bowling Tournament for All cum 12th Blind Bowling Tournament

By DS Frank Chan, Organizing Committee Chair of 12th District Blind Bowling Tournament

The 13th Bowling Tournament for All cum 12th Blind Bowling Tournament, was successfully held on Sunday February 19^th, 2023 at the South China Athletic Association Bowling Centre. Rotary International District 3450 co-organized the event with Hong Kong Blind Sports Federation, with primary objectives to increase the self-confidence of individuals with visual impairments through equal participation in sports tournaments and to raise public awareness about their abilities.

With most COVID restrictions lifted, the participation rate at the tournament broke records, with a total of 58 teams competing, including 40 Rotary teams, 5 Rotaract teams, 7 Interact teams, and 6 corporate teams. The most encouraging aspect of the tournament was the record high participation of 46 visually impaired bowlers. Inviting visually impaired individuals to participate can be a significant challenge, due to their condition, they may lack the belief that they can participate in sports. Over the years, our patience and support have proven to promote inclusivity and create a more welcoming and supportive environment for the visually impaired.

At the opening ceremony, we were very honored to have invited Ms. Vivien Lau, BBS JP, Vice-President of the Sport Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong and Chairman of the Hong Kong Tenpin Bowling Congress, and 2015 QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup Champion Mr. Wu Siu Hong, MH, JP as our officiating guests. DG Norman Li, DGE Andy Li and DGN Nigel Lo also joined them to bowl the first ball to kick-off the tournament. As the event organizer, it was heartening to witness the positive change that participating in sports has brought about in visually impaired bowlers, helping them regain their self-confidence and integrate into the community.

We extend our congratulations to the winners of the tournament and express our heartfelt gratitude to all the participants and volunteers who contributed to the success of the Blind Bowling Tournament. We look forward to seeing you all again next year!

Rotary Team

Champion: Rotary Club of Hong Kong Island East

1^st Runner Up: Rotary Club of Mid-level

2^nd Runner Up: Rotary Club of Kwai Chung

Corporate Team

Champion: Gammon Construction Ltd.

1^st Runner Up: SHKP Volunteer Team Power A

2^nd Runner Up: SHKP Volunteer Team Power B

Rotary Individual

Champion: Jacky Shi, Rotary Club of Mid-level

1^st Runner Up: Danny Chan, Rotary Club of Hong Kong Island East

2^nd Runner Up: Paulin Ho, Rotary Club of Tolo Harbour