New bowling champions shine in BOV National Championships

he Bank of Valletta National Championships brought thrilling performances and new milestones in Maltese bowling this year.

Two major events – the Adult National Championships and the Seniors National Championships – saw first-time winners and dominant displays, reaffirming the strength and depth of talent in the sport.

The Adult National Championships were held over four intense days of competition with 24 games across two sports patterns featuring fierce rivalry among Malta’s top bowlers.

In the men’s division, Matthew Magro led the men’s section until game 19, as in game 20 he had a tough 151, that coupled with an incredible 280 in the same game from Nicolai Mallia and a strong 258 from Kayden Lagana’, meant that Magro slipped to  place.

Mallia and Lagana kept pushing till the end, but the former, thanks to an incredible 263.6 average over the last five games, ended up ahead of Lagana (5327-5284), with Magro in third place on 5,132.

In the Women’s Division, Cynthia Frendo Duca emerged as the new national champion, leading almost from start to finish with a total of 4,696 pins and an impressive 195.7 average, ahead of former multiple champion Sue Abela (4,532) and Melissa Swift (4,438).

By winning these championships, Mallia and Frendo Duca earned the honour of representing Malta at the European Bowling Championship of Champions.

The BOV Seniors National Championships concluded after three days of competition. Dennis Mercieca dominated the field, leading both the scratch and age-related handicap categories and maintaining a 200+ average over 18 games – the only bowler to do so.

Mercieca was followed by Kenneth Arpa and Daniel Swift.

The new champions were presented with their trophies by Ernest Agius, chief operations officer at Bank of Valletta and Edward Mifsud, president of the Malta Bowling Association.

In a statement, Bank of Valletta said that it was a proud supporter of the Malta Bowling Association and remains committed to backing these championships, which showcase dedication, skill, and sportsmanship.

“Bowling is a sport that brings people together across generations, and the Bank is dedicated to fostering opportunities for Maltese athletes to excel both locally and internationally,” the statement said.