Al-Sheikh and Co set to take part in the Hong Kong Championship on Friday. Star bowler has sights set on winning international titles. JEDDAH: Saudi Bowler Hasan Al-Sheikh finished 30th in the 54th World Single Championship taking place in the US city of Las Vegas, and on Friday lines-up in Hong Kong. Ahead of the Hong Kong tournament Arab News caught up with him. How would you describe your participation in the Las Vegas Bowling Championship and was it your first? Yes, this was my first Tim competing and it was a very special and beneficial experience. What were the main challenges you had to face and who were you competing against? I have faced many challenges, such as coming up against tough competitors. I also had to identify my mistakes and fix them as soon as possible. I was competing against some of the world’s best bowlers, including players from the American, Australian, Canadian, Finnish, Columbian and other national teams. How do you evaluate the status of the Saudi bowling in international competitions in general? The Saudi national team has achieved many international accomplishments, but there is still room for improvement to become one of the best teams competing internationally. What is your biggest achievement and what do you look forward to? In the 2006 Asian Games, I won a gold medal, two bronze medals and set a record that has not yet been broken. My main aim to try and win an international title How do you manage to maintain a balance between your studies, social life and bowling? It has always been challenging, but I try my best to manage my time. As someone who started bowling as a child, what do you think is the best age to start bowling and do you think it is harder to do so as adults? There are excellent bowlers who succeeded, yet they started learning to bowl as adults. However, the youngest tend to learn faster. How do you feel about women joining the game this year for the first time? It is a great step by the Saudi Bowling Federation that received a wide enthusiasm beyond expectations. The next challenge is the Hong Kong Championship — what is so special about participating in this championship and how are you preparing for it? It is a very important championship without a doubt; the last one this season and the hardest. I have been preparing for it by participating in local and international championships, and by competing against the best bowlers. We are seeking to go far and beyond and make our country proud. Last, I would like to thank my brother, Badr Al-Sheikh, president of the Saudi Bowling Federation and all those who have been supporting us through this journey and I hope that all these efforts will be fruitful in the next championships.