Shalin Zulkifli

Shalin Zulkifli

Presented by:
Emily Soo Hoo Gui Qing
Goh Yu Xuan
Karen Choo Jia Xuen

BACKGROUND

Shalin Zulkifli is born on 28 March 1978 in Islington, London, England. She is a former Malaysian
professional ten pin bowler and former Asian No. 1. She has played and won various national and international
tournaments, and has at various points in her career ranked No. 1 of the professional ten pin bowlers
in Malaysia and Asia.

During 2001 World Tenpin Masters event, she became the first
female champion of this event, defeating Finland's Tore
Torgersen in the finals. In 2004, she was inducted into International
Bowling Hall of Fame. Bowling in the USA, she was a
quarterfinalist at the 2008 US Women's Open, and competed in the
2008-09 PBA Women's Series. In Southeast Asian Games, she
is the most successful bowling athlete with 20 gold medals record.

Shalin started school at Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Dato 'Abu Bakar, Kuala Lumpur and later went to school
at Sekolah Menengah (P) Bandaraya, Kuala Lumpur. As a father, he is very happy with Shalin’s involvement
in sports since school. He often followed his parents to the bowling center. Thus, at the age of 9, Shalin had
begun to tame himself in the sport of bowling and joined the national bowling team in the late 1980s. In 1991
she was named Selangor’s Most Promising Sportsgirl of the Year, and in 1994 became the youngest player and
first Malaysian to win the Ladies Open of the Kent Malaysian All-Stars.

Shalin holds a degree in Sports Science that specialises in Sports
Psychology and Coaching in Universiti Malaya.

Shalin is married to Azidi Ameran who is also a former national bowler. Her husband
was also Asia's number one player and also won gold medals four times at the Asian
Games. As a result of their marriage, they have been blessed with a light -eyed girl, 9
years old Aleya. She currently owns and runs a Tenpin Bowling Alley at The Curve, a
shopping mall located in Mutiara Damansara. Shalin has retired from the national team,
ended her 28-year-long international bowling career.

UPS AND
DOWNS

Shalin Zulkifli, Malaysian bowling ace and a 20-time Sea Games gold
medallist.
She has won every major title in bowling, including the World
Championships and Asian Games.

Known for her indomitable fighting spirit, Shalin is also a five-time Malaysian Sportswoman of the
Year and winner of the Asian No 1 bowler title four times: in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2004.

Although a National Champion at 14 years old (a record that still stands
today) , like anyone Shalin has her ups and downs.

Due to that early success , it was hard for her to find
true friends. There were so many people with ill
intentions who wanted to see her fail but
she stood strong and refused to give in or give up!

A lot of people think she had an easy life, if only they knew. Nonetheless, because of
all the sacrifice and hardships she went through, she had the strength to overcome a
lot of hurdles that were thrown in her way later in life. People see the glory and
glamour now, but there were a lot of tears and sweat behind it.

For example, during the 2018 Asian Championships where she won Gold in the
Singles. This event will always stay as “top of mind” for our bowling legend as she
was carrying injuries during the competition. Or during the 2017 Kuala Lumpur
South-East-Asian Games-Masters event which she needs to bowl for almost twelve
hours. It was physically really taxing and she had to take a week off after that
competition.

Still, Shalin felt blessed to have so many opportunities and doors opened.
She almost gave up after the Commonwealth games in 1998 because she
felt that she had let the whole country and everyone down.
Having already won the Malaysian Sportswoman Award thrice by 1997,
the then 20-year-old Shalin was Malaysia’s golden hope in the 1998
Commonwealth Games but ended up with silver in the women’s doubles
event (with Lai Kin Ngoh).

Facing so much pressure and expectations, she felt that it was a failure.

However, that was the turning point in her career. After that she took a break, decided
to relook and readjust her priorities. She pursued her studies in sports science at the
University of Malaya.

If that didn’t happen, she wouldn’t have gotten a degree and achieved a more in-depth understanding
of the game and life which has made her a whole and better athlete.

ACHIEVEMENTS
AND TITLES

WORLD FINALS:
 2001 World Tenpin Masters: Champion
 1996 AMF Bowling World Cup: 2nd Place
 1998 AMF Bowling World Cup: 3rd Place

REGIONAL FINALS:
 2001 Kota Kinabalu Open: Singles Champion
 2002 Thailand International Open: Masters Champion
 2002 Philippines International Open: Champion
 2002 Pre-Asian Games Storm Cup Korea Open Masters: Champion
 2003 Asian Bowling Tour Grand Slam: Champion
 2003 Asian Bowling Tour Malaysia (Philippines Leg) : Champion
 2004 Bahrain Open : Champion
 2004 Sinai Open : Champion
 2004 ABF Tour (Thailand Leg) : Champion
 2004 Malaysian International Open : Champion
 2009 Ancol Open Bowling Championship, Jakarta : Champion

NATIONAL FINALS:
 5-time Malaysian National Championship Champion
 4th consecutive win in 2004