Wikipedia

Paeng Nepomuceno

In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Villareal and the surname or paternal family name is Nepomuceno.

Rafael "Paeng" Villareal Nepomuceno (born January 30, 1957) is a Filipino bowler and coach who is a six time World bowling champion.[18] He is a World Bowling Hall of Famer and is the first and only bowling athlete to be awarded with the prestigious IOC (International Olympic Committee) President's Trophy.[19][20] He was also named International Bowling Athlete of the Millennium by the FIQ (Federation Internationale des Quilleurs) in 1999[21] and was inducted in the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.[22]

Paeng Nepomuceno
Paeng Nepomuceno in 2008
Personal information
Full nameRafael Villareal Nepomuceno
NicknamePaeng
Born (1957-01-30) January 30, 1957 (age 67)
Quezon City, Philippines
Alma materLa Salle Green Hills
Adamson University
Occupation(s)Bowling player and coach
Years active1970–present
SpouseSaira Puyat
Websitewww.paengbowling.com
Sport
Country Philippines
SportBowling
Coached byAngel Nepomuceno[1]
Achievements and titles
World finals
Medal record
Representing  Philippines
Men's Bowling
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
World Bowling Championships – 3 1
World Games – – 2
Asian Games 1 1 –
Asian Championships[2] 6 – 1
Federal Territory[2] 5 – –
Southeast Asian Games 9 5 5
Total 21 9 9
World Tenpin Bowling Championships
Silver medal – second place 1991 Singapore Team[3]
Bronze medal – third place 1991 Singapore Doubles[4]
Silver medal – second place 1987 Helsinki Singles[5]
Silver medal – second place 1983 Caracas Trios[6]
World Games
Bronze medal – third place 1997 Lahti Singles
Bronze medal – third place 1993 Hague Singles
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 2002 Busan Doubles
Silver medal – second place 1994 Hiroshima Team of five
Asian Championships
Gold medal – first place Taiwan 1998 All Events[7]
Bronze medal – third place Taiwan 1998 Masters
Gold medal – first place Guam 1994 Masters[8]
Gold medal – first place Singapore 1984 All Events
Gold medal – first place Manila 1982 Doubles
Gold medal – first place Manila 1982 All Events
Gold medal – first place Jakarta 1976 Masters[9]
Southeast Asian Games
Bronze medal – third place Jakarta 1997 Singles [10]
Silver medal – second place 1993 Singapore Trio[11]
Bronze medal – third place 1993 Singapore Masters[11]
Bronze medal – third place 1993 Singapore All-around[11]
Gold medal – first place 1991 Manila Singles[12]
Silver medal – second place 1991 Manila All-around[12]
Gold medal – first place 1987 Indonesia Singles
Gold medal – first place 1987 Indonesia Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1987 Indonesia All Events
Bronze medal – third place 1987 Indonesia Team
Gold medal – first place 1985 Bangkok Doubles[2]
Gold medal – first place 1985 Bangkok All Events[2]
Silver medal – second place 1983 Singapore Singles
Silver medal – second place 1983 Singapore Team
Silver medal – second place 1983 Singapore All Events
Bronze medal – third place 1983 Singapore Masters
Gold medal – first place 1981 Manila Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1981 Manila Trios
Gold medal – first place 1981 Manila All Events
Paeng Nepomuceno with his 4 Guinness World Records
Paeng Nepomuceno with his Guinness World Records[13]
Nepomuceno being honored Six times by Five Philippine Presidents with the Presidential Medal of Merit in 1984, Philippine Legion of Honor in 1999, Order of Lakandula in 2008 and Presidential Citations in 1988, 1992 and 1996.
Nepomuceno being honored Six times by Five Philippine Presidents with the Presidential Medal of Merit in 1984, Philippine Legion of Honor in 1999, Order of Lakandula in 2008 and Presidential Citations in 1988, 1992 and 1996.[14]
Nepomuceno being awarded the IOC ( International Olympic Committee) Presidents Trophy in 1999 in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Nepomuceno being awarded the IOC ( International Olympic Committee) Presidents Trophy in 1999 in Abu Dhabi, UAE.[15]
Nepomuceno at the Entrance of the International Bowling Hall of Fame and Museum, Arlington, Texas in 2010
Nepomuceno at the Entrance of the International Bowling Hall of Fame and Museum, Arlington, Texas in 2010.[16]
Nepomuceno's induction to the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.
Nepomuceno receives his World Bowling Hall of Fame plaque from Bernard Gibbons in a ceremony in Johannesburg, South Africa 1993.
Nepomuceno receives his World Bowling Hall of Fame plaque from Bernard Gibbons in a ceremony in Johannesburg, South Africa 1993.[17]
Nepomuceno was honored with a World Renowned Filipino Living Legend commemorative Stamp by Philippine Postal Corporation on November 13, 2021.

Paeng is the first Filipino bowling athlete to be honored with a commemorative stamp when the Philippine Postal corporation issued a World Renowned Filipino Living Legend Stamp bearing his image to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the first Philippine stamp on November 13, 2021.[23]

He has won the World Cup of Bowling four times (1976, 1980, 1992 and 1996).[24] Nepomuceno has also won the World's Invitational Tournament in 1984 and the World Tenpin Masters championship in 1999.[25][26]

He has been honored by the Guinness World Records four times. His first was as the "Youngest tenpin bowling world champion" by winning the 1976 Bowling World Cup in Tehran, then for "the most wins of the tenpin bowling world cup (1976, 1980, 1992, and 1996)",[27] and for "the most tenpin bowling titles of 133 and was achieved in Quezon City, Philippines, on 13 July 2019", he broke his own record of 118 titles which was first established in 2007.[28]

Nepomuceno is also a USBC Gold level coach, the only Asian to hold the certification from the United States Bowling Congress.[29] He was named by the Philippine Sportswriters Association the Athlete of the Year in 1999.[30]

The Bowlers Journal International picked Paeng as its Greatest international bowler in its International Edition in September 2004[31] and also on its November 2013 100-year Anniversary issue.[32]

Paeng at 65 years old rolled his 37th Sanctioned Perfect 300 game at the 24th Sta Lucia East Bowling Association (SLETBA) Open Masters Finals on October 16, 2022.

Early life and education

edit

Rafael "Paeng" Nepomuceno was born on January 30, 1957, in Quezon City, Philippines to Angel Nepomuceno and Teresa Villareal. Paeng Nepomuceno's father, Angel, is a bowling coach while his mother is a former Miss Philippines (1952).[33] He attended La Salle Green Hills for his elementary and high school studies. He studied in Adamson University for his college education.[34]

Career

edit

Competitive career

edit

Paeng Nepomuceno was initially into golf at age 10 but later switched to bowling. He got involved in bowling after he and his father sought shelter at the Mile High Bowling Center in Baguio due to rain. He then asked his father to enroll him in a junior league held at Coronado Lanes in Metro Manila.[1]

His first tournament was the Philippine Junior Masters Championship, which he won at age 15. He also won the Philippine International Masters at age 17, becoming the youngest winner of the tournament.[33]

He competed at the Bowling World Cup, becoming the men's champion in four editions (1976, 1980, 1992, and 1996). He was 19 years old when he won the 1976 edition. For this feat he was recognized by Guinness World Records as "youngest tenpin bowling world champion".[35]

Nepomuceno also competed at the Southeast Asian Games. He won three gold medals in the 1981 edition which was hosted in Manila. In the 1985 Bangkok Games, he won two Gold medals and a Bronze.[36] He won three gold medals at the 1987 games in Jakarta and one gold medal at the 1991 games in Manila.[37]

He also won the 1984 World Invitational Tournament, a competition held in conjunction with the Summer Olympics held in the same year.[33] Nepomuceno also has represented the Philippines in the World Games winning the two bronze medals in total; in the 1993 and 1997 editions both in the men's single event.[38] He also won the World Tenpin Masters in 1999.[33] That year he suffered a left-hand injury, which required surgery which temporarily sidelined him from bowling.[39]

Nepomuceno was given the Sportsman Award at the 2009 QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup. He is the first Filipino to receive the award.[40]

In 2011, he became the oldest winner of the Philippine International Masters, at age 54.[33] By 2020, he had won 133 career titles, six of which are world titles.[35] His latest title, his 133rd, was won at the 2019 PTBA Open Bowling Championships Masters in July 2019.[41]

Coaching career

edit

Nepomuceno joined United States Bowling Congress in 2007 as an International Ambassador to help promote the sport of bowling. In the same year he began aiming to become a USBC certified coach and started training to become a USBC Coaching Level I and Bronze and Silver level Instructor.[42] He hosted seminars discussing coaching and the sport itself. He underwent training the International Training and Research Center in Arlington, Texas, to attain a USBC gold level coaching certification, which he earned by 2013.[43] He received the certification at the World Coaching conference at the USBC headquarters the following year.[44] He is the first and only Asian to attain the certification.[43]

The Philippine Bowling Federation announced on March 21, 2016, that Nepomuceno had been appointed as head coach of the country's national bowlers.[45][46] Under his watch, Krizziah Tabora became the women's champion of the 2017 QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup.[47]

Honors

edit

By world sporting bodies

edit

The International Olympic Committee awarded Nepomuceno its highest sports award, the IOC President's Trophy during the term of Juan Antonio Samaranch, in November 1999,[48] in a ceremony in Abu Dhabi. In the same year the Federation Internationale des Quilleurs (FIQ) named him as the "Athlete of the Millennium".[49]

He was the first male bowler to be inducted into the International Bowling Hall of Fame, in 1993. His seven foot image is displayed in front of the entrance of the International Bowling Museum in Arlington, Texas, where the hall of fame is hosted.[50]

From the government

edit

Nepomuceno has received recognition from the Philippine Presidents for his feats in bowling. Five Philippine presidents have conferred on him orders and medals, including the Presidential Medal of Merit by Ferdinand Marcos,[51][52] Philippine Legion of Honor by Joseph Estrada,[26] and the Order of Lakandula with Class of Champion for Life by Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.[40] He is the first Filipino athlete to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Merit (1984) and the Philippine Legion of Honor (1999).[34] The other presidents that have honored Paeng are President Corazon C. Aquino and President Fidel V. Ramos.

Both the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives have declared Paeng the "Greatest Philippine Athlete of All Time". He was also named Philippine Athlete of the Century by the Philippine Sportswriters Association in 1999.[53]

From sportswriters

edit

The Philippine Sportswriters Association recognized Nepomuceno as the Athlete of the Year five times (in 1976, 1980, 1984, 1992, and 1996). The association inducted him to their Hall of Fame in 1997, and in 1999 named him Athlete of the Century and in 2000 he was named among the "Athletes of the Millennium".[54]

The World Bowling Writers awarded him the Mort Luby Jr. Distinguished Service Award, named him World Bowler of the Year three times (1984, 1985, and 1992),[55] and named him to the World Bowling Writers Hall of Fame in 1993 as its first inductee.[56]

Other

edit

The Philippine Jaycees gave Nepomuceno a Ten Outstanding Young Men Award in 1978.[57] He was inducted into the De La Salle Alumni Association Sports Hall of Fame in 2003 and was also awarded with the Distinguished Lasallian Award in 2009.[34] He has been part of Adamson University's Hall of Fame since 2012.[58]

He has been honored four times in the Guinness World Records. They recognized him as the "youngest tenpin bowling champion" by winning the 1976 Bowling World Cup in Tehran, for winning "most wins of the tenpin bowling world cup (1976, 1980, 1992, and 1996)", and for "most tenpin bowling titles" (133 titles as of 2020 records).[35][59]

Personal life

edit

Paeng Nepomuceno has been married to Saira ("Pinky") Puyat since he was 25. They have a son and two daughters.

Nepomuceno is a physical fitness enthusiast and also participates in runs and lifts weights as cross-training to improve his performance in bowling.[39]

Currently he is a professor and a senior lecturer at the University of the Philippines.[60]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b Ortiga, Kara (3 February 2017). "Paeng Nepomuceno". Equire. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d Paeng Nepomuceno on top of the World Cup. Mirror Weekly Magazine. January 13, 1997.
  3. ^ "HIS-WOR-WCH-DIS-MENS-Team5 – EBF | European Bowling Federation". etbf.eu.
  4. ^ "HIS-WOR-WCH-DIS-MENS-Doubles – ETBF | European Tenpin Bowling Federation".
  5. ^ "HIS-WOR-WCH-DIS-MENS-Singles – ETBF | European Tenpin Bowling Federation".
  6. ^ "HIS-WOR-WCH-DIS-MENS-Trios – EBF | European Bowling Federation". etbf.eu.
  7. ^ "abf-online.org - brought to you by ASIAN BOWLING FEDERATION - 26thatbc-2.htm". www.abf-online.org.
  8. ^ Thomas Koh (10 July 1994). "Paeng captures Masters crown". The Straits Times. p. 32. Filipino southpaw ends 18-year wait to register second victory in Guam. History came round full circle for Filipino Paeng Nepomuceno, who won the men's Masters title at the Asian FIQ bowling championships at the Central Lanes yesterday.
  9. ^ Brian Miller (9 November 1980). "Paeng shooting for third W-Cup title". New Nation. p. 28. In 1976, he made the Filipino team for the Asian FIQ championships in Jakarta... he walked away with the individual gold medal."That victory made me the best in Asia. I had achieved my goal."
  10. ^ "SEA Games Tenpin Bowling Championships Past Winners". www.abf-online.org. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  11. ^ a b c "SEA Games Philippine Medallists [sic] since 1991 : 17th SEA Games - Singapore 1993" (PDF). Philippine Olympic Committee. September 2004. p. 28. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  12. ^ a b "SEA Games Philippine Medallists [sic] since 1991 : 16th SEA Games - Manila 1991" (PDF). Philippine Olympic Committee. September 2004. p. 35. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  13. ^ "Guinness Book of World Records honors Paeng for 4th time". Manila Bulletin. 2020-11-21. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
  14. ^ Chua, Paolo (August 25, 2021). "10 Filipino Celebrities Who Have Received the Presidential Medal of Merit". Esquiremag.ph. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
  15. ^ "Search for issuances". issuances-library.senate.gov.ph. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
  16. ^ "Paeng Nepomuceno visits new International Bowling Campus". www.bowlingdigital.com. 2015-06-02. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
  17. ^ "The Filipino Phenom". International Bowling Museum & Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
  18. ^ "Paeng: Proud to be Pinoy". The Philippine STAR.
  19. ^ "Senate Resolution No. 42, s. 2000 | Senate of the Philippines Legislative Library". Archived from the original on 2021-10-20. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
  20. ^ "IBMA | Bowling Museum & Hall of Fame".
  21. ^ "Memorandum Order No. 468, s. 1998 | Senate of the Philippines Legislative Library".
  22. ^ "Diay, Paeng, Coo lead new batch of inductees into PH Sports Hall of Fame".
  23. ^ "Paeng Nepomuceno honored with commemorative stamp". ABS-CBN News. 13 November 2021. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  24. ^ "Bowling World Cup Winners".
  25. ^ Castillejo, Dyan (10 July 2013). "Paeng Nepomuceno makes history anew". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  26. ^ a b "PHNO: Sports Beat". www.newsflash.org.
  27. ^ "Most wins of the tenpin bowling world cup". guinnessworldrecords.com. Guinness World Records.
  28. ^ "Most tenpin bowling titles". guinnessworldrecords.com. Guinness World Records. 13 July 2019.
  29. ^ "Paeng is certified gold-level coach - Manila Standard". Manila Standard. Archived from the original on 2018-01-02.
  30. ^ PSA Athlete of the Year amazonaws.com [dead link‍]
  31. ^ Bowlers Journal September 2004 issue Luby Publishing
  32. ^ Bowlers Journal November 2013 issue Luby Publishing
  33. ^ a b c d e Grasso, John; Hartman, Eric (7 August 2014). Historical Dictionary of Bowling - Nepomuceno, Rafael "Paeng". Rowman & Littlefield. p. 219. ISBN 978-0810880221. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  34. ^ a b c "Nepomuceno, Rafael "Paeng" V." De La Salle Alumni Association. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  35. ^ a b c "Guinness honors Paeng for 3rd time". The Philippine Star. 2 March 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  36. ^ "Bowling at the 1985 Southeast Asian Games - Summarized by Plex.page | Content | Summarization".
  37. ^ Henson, Joaquin (14 August 2017). "Paeng hopes for 'Golden Age' in SEA Games". Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  38. ^ "Results of the World Games - Rafael Nepomuceno". The World Games. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  39. ^ a b Orellana, Joel (8 October 2015). "Rafael 'Paeng' Nepomuceno: On top of the bowling world". Business Mirror. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  40. ^ a b "Nepomuceno wins World Cup Sportsman Award". GMA News. 24 November 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  41. ^ "Bowling Titles". Paeng Nepomuceno. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  42. ^ "International bowling legend 'Paeng' joins forces with USBC as certified coach, ambassador By Patrick Brettingen". BowlingDigital.com. USBC Coaching. 26 April 2007. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  43. ^ a b "Paeng first Pinoy to receive USBC gold coach certificate". The Philippine Star. 5 July 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  44. ^ "Paeng is certified gold-level coach". Manila Standard. 22 March 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  45. ^ Cordero, Abac (22 March 2016). "Paeng named coach of Philippine bowling team". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  46. ^ June Navarro (March 22, 2016). "World bowling champion Paeng takes over PH team". Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  47. ^ Henson, Joaquin (30 December 2017). "Filipino bowling back on track". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  48. ^ "PHNO: Sports Beat". www.newsflash.org.
  49. ^ "A 3rd Guinness record for RP bowler Paeng". GMA News. 14 July 2008. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  50. ^ Terrado, Reuben (28 May 2014). "Bowling great Paeng Nepomuceno sadly admits sports is the least priority in the Philippines". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  51. ^ "10 Filipino Celebrities Who Have Received the Presidential Medal of Merit". Esquiremag.ph.
  52. ^ "Presidential Medal of Merit – Manuel L. Quezon III". www.quezon.ph.
  53. ^ "Paeng planet's greatest bowler". The Philippine STAR.
  54. ^ "Winners Circle". Philippine Sportswriters Association. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  55. ^ Senate document senate.gov.ph
  56. ^ Beltran, Nelson (28 July 2011). "Paeng planet's greatest bowler". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  57. ^ Caluag, Randy (25 December 2013). "TOYM awardee Chris Tiu is more than just a basketball player". Manila Standard. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  58. ^ "Paeng, Calma, Codiñera head AdU honor roll". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 5 February 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  59. ^ "Guinness Book honors Paeng for 4th time". Manila Standard. 22 November 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  60. ^ "World champion Paeng Nepomuceno to teach bowling class in UP". spot.ph. 11 January 2017.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paeng_Nepomuceno&oldid=1253128735"