KUALA LUMPUR – At just 15 years old, Ethan Damien Goh is emerging as one of Malaysia’s brightest bowling prospects—and if his stellar form continues, he may well earn a place in the national squad for this year’s SEA Games.
Ethan made headlines last weekend when he clinched the men’s Masters title at the Malaysian Open, defeating defending champion Mohd Hafiz Zainuddin 220-180 in the final.
It was his first senior title and came just a week after he successfully defended the boys’ Open crown at the same tournament at the Sunway Mega Lanes.
The Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress (MTBC) is closely monitoring the young Sarawakian’s progress but insists that any potential selection for major events, including the SEA Games in Bangkok this December, will not be rushed.
“Maybe (for the SEA Games), but we are not yet considering him for major events at such a young age like that,” said MTBC secretary-general Maradona Chok.
“I don’t want to rush him into major events at a young age, but if he continues to perform at this level, we have to seriously look into it.”
Ethan’s talent was spotted early on by legendary coach Holloway Cheah, who played a key role in shaping his game.
“He was coached by Holloway from young. We noticed him when he was like nine or ten,” said Maradona.
“Before that, he was bowling on his own with his parents behind him, and we always talked about how he had a good sense of getting the ball to the pocket.”
Ethan was drafted into a special training squad at 14, and this year he has officially joined the National Youth team.
Although major senior tournaments might still be a little out of reach for now, Ethan is a top contender for the Youth World Cup and is almost certain to feature at the Asian Junior and Asian Youth Championships.
“For now, he will be a top contender for the Youth World Cup, but he will have strong competition from Muhd Danial Abu Samah and Wan Muhd Zarif Ikram,” said Maradona.
What has most impressed the MTBC is Ethan’s composure under pressure—something rarely seen in athletes his age.
“He has the same fearless mindset going into the finals that Rafiq Ismail had when he came out blazing at 16,” said Maradona.
Rafiq, now a household name in Malaysian bowling, famously won the All-Star Masters at 14 and claimed his first Malaysian Open title at 19.
As Ethan is currently in Singapore competing at the Sonic International Classic, MTBC will be keeping a close eye on whether this rising star continues his rapid ascent—and possibly earns his place on the plane to Bangkok.
Separately, Maradona also commented on the MTBC’s launch of its 50th anniversary coffee table book, unveiled on the final day of the Malaysian Open. The launch was attended by MTBC president Datuk Najeeb Abdullah and Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh.
“According to our president, the book was created to highlight not only the success of the squad and MTBC but also to remind us of the challenges that MTBC went through over the last 50 years to be at this level,” he said.
“Moving forward, we want to further strengthen good governance and continue producing world champions.”
He added that the initiative was well received by the minister.
“Our minister said that in this time of digital age, it is still good to have a hard copy to record the success of the association.
“MTBC has consistently produced champions, and that shows that the system works. It’s something other federations should look to emulate.” — April 24, 2025