18-Year-Old Ma Jia-yan Makes History with World Cup Bowling Gold
On.cc · 2 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong's rising bowling star Ma Jia-yan, known as Jovi, made history by winning the gold medal in the men's singles event at the 2026 IBF Bowling World Cup held in Munich, Germany. At just 18 years old, Ma defeated France's Gregory Rius in a best-of-three final match on Sunday (October 18), securing Hong Kong's first individual world title in 11 years. His victory marks a significant milestone for Hong Kong bowling, as he becomes only the second local bowler ever to claim an individual world championship, following in the footsteps of the legendary Hu Zhaokang.
Key Points
- Ma Jia-yan triumphed over French opponent Gregory Rius in the final with scores of 202:201 and 203:198 in the best-of-three match format
- In the semifinals, Ma defeated Dutch player Mathijs Beverdam with games of 211:202 and 218:213
- Ma finished first in Group A to advance through the tournament, which runs from October 13 to 21 in Munich
- His gold medal marks Hong Kong's first IBF World Cup men's singles title since Hu Zhaokang won in Las Vegas in 2015
- Another Hong Kong bowler, Mai Siu-kai, was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the competition
Why It Matters
Ma's historic victory demonstrates Hong Kong's continued excellence in bowling on the global stage after an 11-year gap since the territory's previous world champion. At 18 years old, Ma represents a new generation of Hong Kong athletes capable of competing against and defeating established international players. The achievement also bodes well for the future of Hong Kong bowling, with the team competing in the men's four-player event on Monday (German time) before returning home on October 23 .
Ma's historic victory demonstrates Hong Kong's continued excellence in bowling on the global stage after an 11-year gap since the territory's previous world champion. At 18 years old, Ma represents a new generation of Hong Kong athletes capable of competing against and defeating established international players. The achievement also bodes well for the future of Hong Kong bowling, with the team competing in the men's four-player event on Monday (German time) before returning home on October 23 .