Shirley Chow Chew Chun, a pioneer of Malaysian bowling who won Asian Games gold in the women’s trio at Hiroshima 1994, died peacefully on Sunday, 1 November, at the age of 76, the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) said.

The OCM extended its deepest condolences to her family in a tribute posted on its social media accounts. Born on 2 October 1950, she will be fondly remembered as one of the pioneers of Malaysian bowling in the 1970s, the council said.

According to the OCM, she won numerous titles and honours at regional, continental and world levels during her career and was named Malaysia’s Sportswoman of the Year in 1979.

At the 1994 Asian Games in Hiroshima, she won gold in the women’s trio with Lydia Kwah Poh Ling and Datuk Shalin Zulkifli, and silver in the women’s doubles with Kwah.

She also won medals at four editions of the SEA Games, starting with bronze in the women’s team of four at the 1977 Games in Kuala Lumpur, alongside Malu Nathan, Helen Mak Choon Ho and Maureen Wang nee Liew Suit Lan.

At the 1989 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, she took silver in the women’s doubles with Pearly Chong Swee Chin, and silver in the women’s trio with Chong and Lily Chua.

In Manila in 1991, she won gold in the women’s doubles with Lisa Kwan Siew Mooi and silver in the women’s singles.

At the 1993 SEA Games in Singapore, she won gold in the women’s trio with Kwan and Shalin, gold in the women’s team event with Kwan, Kwah, Sharon Low Su Lin and May Cheong Ngan Mooi, and gold in the women’s all event. She added silver in the women’s singles.

The OCM said it recognised her contributions to the Olympic Movement through her achievements at the Asian Games and SEA Games, where she represented the Malaysian contingent.

“Shirley Chow was one of the pioneers who shaped the development of Malaysian Bowling and her outstanding achievements have inspired generations of bowlers to represent Malaysia with pride on the international stage,” OCM president Tan Sri Dato’ Sri (Dr.) Mohamad Norza Zakaria said.

“Her legacy lives on through the continued achievements of Malaysia’s National Bowling Team and she will always be remembered for her contributions to the development of Bowling,” he added.