Bowler Ong wants to win at home
He's had success at Asian level, but Ong's excited at prospect of a win at home
Wearing an intense look, he stepped up with a seasoned flick of his right wrist, sent the ball hurtling down the lane.
First, a strike, then a spare, and then a strike again.
Not bad for a 63-year-old visually impaired bowler.
Robert Ong is good, and he is part of the Singapore bowling team that will look for gold at the week-long Asean Para Games, which the Republic are hosting for the first time from tomorrow.
Ong has spent a large part of his life in the sport.
He has managed a bowling alley and opened a pro shop, and it seems fitting that he will now represent his country in the sport he loves.
While many others would have given up on their sporting dream with the visual disability - Ong suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease - he tried his best to somehow use it to his advantage, and succeeded.
"My vision is now that of tunnel vision," he explained to The New Paper recently.
"I was diagnosed with this problem in 1982 when I was having a routine medical check-up during reservist training.
"Basically, our eyes are surrounded by cameras and I was told that my cameras were damaged.
"I did pause for a while and wonder why this would happen to me. In my whole family, no one wore glasses but I was the only one who needed them in Primary 5!
"I finally accepted that if it's arranged by God, to just take it.
"Am I supposed to just stay sad about it for the rest of my life? What about the people that have it worse than me and are blind?
"Everything is fated so you just have to look on the positive side."
Being an optimist has certainly served Ong well.
Last year, he was part of the trios team that won a bronze medal at the 2nd Asian Para Games in Incheon.
Although that was a major achievement considering it came on a bigger stage, Ong is looking forward to more at the upcoming Games.
The father-of-two said: "I'm very excited because at the age of 63, I'm very proud to be able to represent my country.
"Last year, we went to (South) Korea for the Asian Para Games and came back with a bronze, but this time it's more exciting because it's on home ground.
"My aim is to win a gold medal. We are celebrating SG50 this year and that's the only way I can repay the country for selecting me and giving me this chance."
For Ong, who has been bowling for 41 years, there will also be the added motivation of his loved ones cheering him on from the stands at the Temasek Club.
"They (his children) are very proud of me because, all along, I've been in the bowling fraternity but I never represented the country till recently," he said.
"I'm over the moon to be competing on home soil and I'm looking forward to the support of my family and relatives, who have all said they will be at the bowling centre to cheer me on.
"I'm thankful to the Bowling Association for the Disabled and Singapore Disability Sports Council for the belief they have shown and giving me this chance.
"The message I always try to pass on is that disability and age are no barriers in sport. Whatever disability, don't despair."
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