Olivia "Bong" Coo

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Olivia "Bong" Coo
Born June 3, 1948 (1948-06-03) (age 60)
Origin Flag of the Philippines Manila, Philippines
Occupation(s) Bowler, Chairperson, President
Website Official site
Official site (new)

Olivia "Bong" Coo (born June 3, 1948) is a Filipino bowler - 4-time World Champion, won the most gold medals in the Asian Games by a Filipino athlete with five, and the first Filipino athlete listed in the Guinness Book of Records.

She is the only bowling athlete who has won the All Events titles in regional level, Asian zone level and world level championships in major quadrennial and biennial bowling competitions as well as owned the All Events records on those tournaments at one time in 1986.

  • Quadrennial World Championships (Fédération Internationale des Quilleurs), consecutive in 1979 and 1983
  • Quadrennial Asian Games, consecutive in 1978 and 1986
  • Biennial Zone Championships (Fédération Internationale des Quilleurs), 14 years apart 1972 and 1986
  • Biennial South East Asian Games, consecutive in 1981 and 1983

Bong Coo also won the World Cup (1979), Asian Games Singles and Masters (1978), the Zone Championships Masters (twice, 20 years apart 1972 and 1992), the Zone Championships Singles (twice 1978 and 1984) and the South East Asian Games Masters (1981).

She has the most gold medals won in the Fédération Internationale des Quilleurs Zone Championships with 14 in 12 consecutive tournament participation and was the first enshrined in the International Bowling Hall of Fame in St. Louis, Missouri in 1993. Her Zone Masters titles were acknowledged by the World Bowling Writers Hall of Fame Committee equivalent to world medals.

She amassed 77 medals in regional and world events where she competed as a member of the Philippine national squad, (broken down to 37 gold, 23 silver and 17 bronze) making her the most bemedalled Filipino athlete of all time. Bong Coo also has a total of 107 individual championships and has won at least one Masters title for 28 consecutive years. She won her 107th title at the Hiroshima Japan Cup Amateur Masters Championships in 1997, six months short of her 50th birth anniversary.

In 2000, she was voted one of the Philippines Athlete of the Millennium and was awarded an Achievement Diploma by the International Olympic Committee president Juan Antonio Samaranch in recognition of her outstanding contribution in promoting the development and participation of women and girls in sports.

Fully retired from active competition, she has been teaching bowling (as part of the curriculum) since 2002 at the University of the Philippines under the Department of Human Kinetics and Colegio de San Juan de Letran.

Bong Coo was elected Secretary General of the Philippine Bowling Congress in January 2007.

[edit] Awards and Achievements

  • 4-time World Champion
  • First Filipino Athlete listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for quadrennial events performance
  • Inaugural member to the World Bowling Writers International Bowling Hall of Fame (1993) at the International Bowling Hall of Fame and Museum, in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
  • Selected to the "Top 24 International Bowlers of All-Time" by the editor and publisher of Bowlers Journal International edition, Sept. 2004
  • Most gold medals won by a Filipino athlete in the quadrennial Asian Games with five
  • Most Gold Medal in the biennial Fédération Internationale des Quilleurs (FIQ) Zone Championships with 14 in 14 consecutive participation in 28 years
  • Most successful Filipino campaigner in the 1981 South East Asian Games Held in Manila with 4 gold and 2 silver medals in 6 events
  • First bowler to win in two different world tournaments in a year
  • Most bemedalled Filipino athlete of all time with 77 international medals in regional and world events where she competed as a member of the national squad, broken down to 37 gold, 23 silver and 17 bronze
  • Most bemedalled Filipino athlete per Republic Act 9064 "Athletes Incentives Act of 2001"
  • Total of 107 individual championships
  • Won at least one Masters title for 28 consecutive years.
  • Named "Athlete of the Millennium" by the Philippine Sportswriters Association in 2000
  • Awarded an Achievement Diploma by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Juan Antonio Samaranch in 2000 in recognition of her outstanding contribution in promoting the development and participation of women and girls in sports
  • Only repeat All Events Champion in the quadrennial World Championships (consecutive - 4 years apart)
  • Only repeat All Events Champion in the quadrennial Asian Games (consecutive - 8 years apart)
  • Only repeat Women All Events Champion in the Asian Zone Championships (14 years apart)
  • First repeat All Events Champion in the South East Asian Games (consecutive)
  • World Bowling Writers World Bowler of the year in 1986, the WBW has a membership of over 300 bowling writers worldwide
  • Federation Internationale des Quilleurs Woman Bowler of Year for 1992 - 1993
  • Voted Asia's Most Durable Bowler in 1992
  • Held the All Events games records in the national, regional level, Asian zone level and world level championships simultaneously in 1986
  • Simultaneously held the All Events games records in biennial and quadrennial games
  • Named " Athlete of the Year" Philippine Sportswriters Association in 1983, 1986
  • 12-time Philippine Sportswriters Association Bowler of the Year
  • Awarded the Philippine Olympic Medal of Honor in 1983 and Bowler of the Decade
  • Named Asia's Bowling Queen in 1972
  • Most bemedalled Filipino athlete in the Asian Games in one celebration 1978
  • Set three world records in consecutive World Championships in 1979 and 1983, one world record in the 1979 World Cup, seven Asian records in the Zone Championships in 1986 and 1992, five Asian records in consecutive Asian Games in 1978 and 1986 and six South East Asian Games records at the SEAG in 1981
  • One of the 100 Filipinas featured in Filipina Firsts: A Salute to 100 Women Pioneers 1898-1998
  • Only athlete included in the Philippines 100 Women of the Century in 2000
  • Chosen one the country's "Inspiring Mothers" by the Family Today Magazine in 2000
  • Awarded "Kababaihang Makasaysayan" by the National Centennial Commission- Women Sector – ensured women’s visibility in history and nation building through Global Movement for Herstories, 1999
  • Honored in the first ICHPER-SD Asia Conference Sport Covenant for Women - for uplifting the status of women in sports, 1998
  • Received citations from both houses of Congress in 1993
  • All Filipino Sports Awards Athlete of the Year for Bowling, 1973 and 1975
  • Named one of the Ten Outstanding Women for the Nations Service (TOWNS) in 1986. The TOWNS Award is conferred every three years by the TOWNS Foundation on Filipino women who have rendered outstanding service to the nation; The TOWNS Foundation is dynamic group of empowered Filipino women leaders who have contributed positively to shaping the nation’s future and serving as a catalyst for economic and social development by providing their time, talent and resources to government organizations

[edit] Titles and Championships

1970 1st Fédération Internationale des Quilleurs (FIQ) Zone Championships Gold Medalist , Singapore, Gold in Team and Silver in Individual All Events

1970 5th Asian Federation Championships Gold Medalist, Thailand, Gold in Trios

1970 5th Asian Federation Championships Gold Medalist, Thailand, Gold in Team

1970 Coronado Champion of the Year

1970 Greenlanes Anniversary Champion

1971 Fédération Internationale des Quilleurs Zone Invitational Masters Champion (5 medals in 6 events)

1971 Fédération Internationale des Quilleurs Zone Invitational Gold Medalist Gold in Trios

1971 Fédération Internationale des Quilleurs Zone Invitational Gold Medalist , Gold in Team, Silver in Individual All Events, Bronze in Singles

1971 Tenpin Bowl Anniversary Masters Champion

1972 2nd FIQ Gold Medalist, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, Gold in Doubles

1972 2nd FIQ Gold Medalist, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, Gold in Trios

1972 2nd FIQ Gold Medalist, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, Gold in Team

1972 2nd FIQ Individual All Events Champion, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, (5 Gold medals out of 6)

1972 2nd FIQ Zone Masters Champion, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, considered by the International Hall of Fame committee equivalent to a world medal

1972 Cathay Pacific Brunswick National Champion

1972 Malaysian Open Masters Champion, Kuala Lumpur

1972 MTBA Open Masters Champion

1972 Singapore International Masters Champion

1973 Fédération Internationale des Quilleurs Zone Invitational Gold Medalist, Gold in Team, Bronze in Singles and Masters Grand Finals

1973 Singapore International Masters Champion, 2nd Consecutive time and First Back-to-Back Champion

1973 TBAM Invitational All Stars Masters Champion

1974 3rd FIQ Zone Championships Gold Medalist, Gold in Team and Bronze in Doubles

1974 Astrobowl Champion of the Year

1974 Greenlanes Champion of the Year

1975 Coronado Tenpin Open Masters Champion

1975 Greenlanes Champion of the Year

1975 Greenlanes Invitational Masters Champion

1975 Hongkong Open Masters Champion, South China Center

1975 MTBA Masters Champion

1976 4th FIQ Zone Championships Gold Medalist, Jakarta Indonesia, Gold in Team

1976 MTBA Masters Champion, 2nd consecutive time

1976 SJBA Open Masters Champion

1977 Philippine International Open Masters Champion

1978 5th FIQ Zone Singles Champion, record series with 213 average, Silver in Individual All Events and Team

1978 8th Asian Games Singles Gold Medalist, set four records with 211 average

1978 8th Asian Games Gold Medalist in Team

1978 8th Asian Games Individual All-Events Champion, record 24-games

1978 8th Asian Games Masters Champion, set 15-game finals record with 210 average, semi fianls and grand finals records and Philippine record 3 gold medals in one celebration

1978 MBA Open Masters Champion

1979 Coronado-TBAM Open Masters Champion

1979 Fil-Am Invitational WIBC Masters Champion, Clark Air Base

1979 Bowling World Cup National Champion to Thailand

1979 Philippine Womens Bowling Association Invitational Masters Champion

1979 Philippine Bowling Congress National Open Masters Champion

1979 Bowing World Cup Champion, Bangkok, Thailand, 3-game match play finals record

1979 9th World Fédération Internationale des Quilleurs Gold Medalist in Doubles, individual record scores, Silver in Trios

1979 9th World FIQ Individual All-Events Champion, - first Filipino Athlete to be listed in Guinness Book of World Records

1980 Celebrity TBA Open Masters Champion

1981 11th Southeast Asian Games Quadruple Gold Medalist, Manila Philippines, Gold in in Doubles

1981 11th Southeast Asian Games Quadruple Gold Medalist, Manila Philippines, Gold in Trios

1981 11th Southeast Asian Games Individual All-Events Champion, Manila Philippines

1981 11th Southeast Asian Games Masters Champion, Manila Philippines. Most Successful Filipino campaigner in the games, Four gold medals and two silver medals in six events. Silver in Singles and Team

1981 Bowling World Cup National Champion to New York USA finished 3rd Runner-Up Overall

1981 Celebrity TBA Open Masters Champion, 2nd consecurive time

1981 MBA Open Masters Champion

1981 South Pacific National Champion

1981 TBAM Open Masters Champion

1982 CBA Open Masters Champion

1982 MBA Open Masters Champion, 2nd consecutive time

1982 PBA-Lagerlite Masters Champion

1982 Philippine Bowling Congress National Open Masters Champion

1982 Philippine International Open Masters Champion

1982 TBAM Open Masters Champion, 2nd consecutive time

1983 10th World FIQ Individual All-Events Champion, Caracas, Venezuela, listed in Guinness Book of World Records. Only Back-to-Back champion, silver in Trios

1983 12th Southeast Asian Games Gold Medalist, Singapore, Gold in Team, Silver in Singles, Masters and Trios, Bronze in Doubles

1983 12th Southeast Asian Games Individual All-Events Champion, first Back-to-Back Champion

1983 BBA Open Masters Champion

1983 CTBA Open Masters Champion

1983 MBA Open Masters Champion, 3rd consecutive time

1983 MTBA Open Masters Champion

1983 Philippine International Open Masters Champion, 2nd consecutive time

1984 8th FIQ Zone Championships Singles Gold Medalist , Silver in Doubles, Bronze in Individual All-Events

1984 CTBA Open Masters Champion, 2nd consecutive time

1984 MBA Open Masters Champion, 4th consecutive time

1984 Philippine Bowling Congress National Open Masters Champion

1984 Philippine International Open Masters Champion, 3rd consecutive time

1984 TBAP Masters Champion

1985 13th Southeast Asian Games Gold Medalist, Thailand Gold in Team, Bronze in Masters Grand Finals

1985 3rd President Cup Masters Champion, Jakarta Indonesia

1985 Celebrity Cup Masters Champion

1985 CTBA Open Masters Champion, 3rd consecutive time

1985 Malaysian Inter City Championships Gold Medalist, Malaysia, Gold in Team, Silver in Individual All Events and Masters Grand Finals

1985 MBA Open Masters Champion, 5th consecutive time National Record

1985 Philippine Bowling Congress National Open Masters Champion, 2nd consecutive time

1986 10th Asian Games Double Gold Medalist, Seoul Korea Gold in Team

1986 10th Asian Games Individual All-Events Gold Medalist, Seoul Korea, only Back-to-Back champion

1986 4th President Cup Masters Champion, Jakarta Indonesia, 2nd consecutive time

1986 9th Asian Amateur Championships Gold medalist, Gold in Doubles, Silver in Singles and Bronze in Trios. Set records in Trios for Individual High Game, 3-game and 6-game Series

1986 9th Asian Amateur All Events Champion, surpassed world record

1986 CTBA Open Masters Champion, 4th consecutive time

1986 Philippine Bowling Congress International Open Masters Champion, 3rd consecutive time

1986 QCBA Open Masters Champion

1986 TBAM Open Championships Masters Champion

1986 Philippine Bowling Congress Circuit Champion of the Year

1986 Philippine Bowling Congress National Match-Play Champion

1986 Thailand International Open Masters Champion, Bangkok Thailand

1987 5th President Cup Masters Champion, Jakarta Indonesia, 3rd consecutive time and only 3-time winner

1987 Celebrity Cup Masters Champion

1987 Federal Territory Bowling Championships Masters Champion, Malaysia

1987 Hongkong Open Masters Champion, South China Center

1987 Kent All Stars International Open Masters Champion, Malaysia

1987 Malaysian Open Masters Champion, Kuala Lumpur, Bong Coo’s 100th Tournament title

1987 MBA Open Masters Champion

1987 PBA Open Masters Champion

1987 Philippine Bowling Congress International Open Masters Champion, 4th consecutive time

1988 QCBA Open Masters Champion

1989 PBA Open Masters Champion

1990 SJBA International Open Champion

1991 Philippine Bowling Congress International Open Masters Champion

1991 SJBA International Open Masters Champion, 2nd consecutive time

1991 TBAP Masters Champion

1992 12th FIQ Zone Championships Gold Medalist, Perth Australia,Gold in Doubles

1992 12th FIQ Zone Masters Champion, Perth Australia , considered by the International Hall of Fame committee equivalent to a world medal

1992 Kuala Lumpur International Open Masters Champion, Malaysia

1993 MBA Open Masters Champoion*

1993 TBAM Open Masters Champion*

1993 Philippine Bowling Congress International Open Masters Champion, total eight won - National record*

1993 TCBA Open Masters Champion* *National Record Four consecutive Open Masters titles

1993 Philippine Bowling Congress Circuit Champion of the Year

1994 Bowling World Cup National Champion to Hermosillo Mexico

1994 Mega Tenpin Masters Champion

1994 MTBA Open Masters Champion

1994 Grand Masters Champion

1994 PBA Open Masters Champion

1995 15h Malaysia Airlines International All-Stars Bowling Championships Singles Champion (participation limited to world caliber bowling champions)

1995 15h Malaysia Airlines International All-Stars Bowling Championships Doubles Champion (with Paeng Nepomuceno)

1995 18th PWBA International Open Masters Champion

1995 Grand Masters Champion

1995 TBAM Easter Open Masters Champion

1996 Bowling World Cup National Champion to Belfast Ireland

1996 MTBA Open Masters Champion

1996 Grand Masters Champion

1996 Philippine Bowling Congress Circuit Champion of the Year

1997 Hiroshima Japan Cup Amateur Masters Champion, Japan

1998 MTBA Open Masters Champion

Won at least One Masters title for 28 consecutive years.

[edit] External links