The 42nd Golden Mountain Bay Area Chinese Sports Conference Bowling Tournament took place in Cupertino on May 31st (last Sunday), attracting nearly 80 overseas Chinese participants. Competitors played bowling to make friends and showcased their skills in a relaxed and joyful atmosphere, demonstrating the cohesion of the overseas Chinese community.
High-ranking officials including Wu Zhixiang and his wife from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco, Tsai Chia-hua, the deputy director of the South Bay Overseas Chinese Education Center, group leader Guo Huizhen, as well as council members Wei Dezhen, Wu Yiming, Li Yuanlin, Zhang Zhengbang, Liu Lingxia, Chen Yangming, and advisory committee member Lu Yuzhen attended the event to cheer on the participants.
This year’s bowling competition featured 13 categories competing for 13 gold medals. The competition mainly focused on team registration, with individual performances also taken into account. The bowling lanes were arranged according to the age groups of the participants to ensure fair and orderly matches. The overall scale was similar to previous years, continuing the vibrant tradition of the Chinese Sports Conference bowling event.
Chen Ligong, the chairman of the Chinese Sports Conference, expressed gratitude for the long-term support from people from all walks of life. He specifically thanked the bowling tournament conveners Zheng Yingzhong and deputy convener You Meiyu for their years of dedicated work in venue rental, scheduling, and roster confirmation, making the event lively and exciting every year.
During an interview, Chen Ligong mentioned that a highlight of this year was the first-time participation of Wu Zhixiang, the director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, and Tsai Chia-hua, the deputy director of the Overseas Chinese Education Center in the bowling tournament, which was a great encouragement for the Chinese Sports Conference. He also noted that this year’s medals were updated with a 3D design, similar in weight to official medals, with better quality, adding commemorative significance to the event.
Convener of the bowling tournament Zheng Yingzhong expressed gratitude for the continuous support from various sectors for the Chinese Sports Conference bowling event over the years, with many bowling enthusiasts actively participating this year. He wished the players to showcase their skills and achieve the best results. Director Wu Zhixiang of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office also expressed his joy in participating in the Chinese Sports Conference bowling tournament for the first time. He humorously shared his experience of not playing bowling for many years, wishing everyone to enjoy the game and have a pleasant afternoon, and looking forward to continued support from all sectors for future Chinese Sports Conference activities.
Tsai Chia-hua, the deputy director of the Overseas Chinese Education Center, humorously mentioned that bowling is the most interesting event for her at the Chinese Sports Conference, as it is indoors without worrying about sun exposure or sweating, making it very suitable for everyone to have fun.
Local entrepreneur Hu Limin, in an interview, mentioned that the Silicon Valley U.S.-China Technology Business Association had over twenty participants in the bowling tournament this year, demonstrating their support for the Chinese Sports Conference.
He emphasized that the essence of the bowling tournament is to “make friends through balls,” focusing on participation rather than winning. However, the U.S.-China Technology Business Association has been actively participating in the tournament over the years and has achieved first or second place in the group category multiple times.
Andrew Lee (李明綸), the founder of the Taiwanese restaurant “Taipei Station” in the Bay Area, participated in the Chinese Sports Conference bowling tournament for the first time. He mentioned that he came to the U.S. in middle school and has been here for about 16 years, making this his first time participating in a Chinese community event. Seeing many Taiwanese compatriots gathering together to play bowling and make friends made him very happy.
After several hours of fierce competition, the results of various categories were announced. Wang Xiangmin achieved the highest score in men’s single round, while Larua Wong achieved the highest score in women’s single round. The highest three-game total for men was achieved by Navidad Tyler, and for women was Connie Truong. In the team total score, the Silicon Valley U.S.-China Technology Business Association and Tofu King tied for first place, with the Midwest Branch of Direct One winning third place. ◇