Paeng Nepomuceno facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Paeng Nepomuceno

Paeng Nepomuceno in 2008
Personal information
Nickname(s)	Paeng
Born	(1957-01-30) January 30, 1957 (age 68) Quezon City, Philippines
Alma mater	La Salle Green Hills Adamson University
Occupation	Bowling player and coach
Years active	1970–present
Spouse(s)	Saira Puyat
Sport
Country	Philippines
Sport	Bowling
Coached by	Angel Nepomuceno
Achievements and titles
World finals	1976 Bowling World Cup: Champion 1980 Bowling World Cup: Champion 1992 Bowling World Cup: Champion 1996 Bowling World Cup: Champion 1999 World Tenpin Masters: Champion 1984 Worlds Invitational Tournament: Champion
Medal record Representing  Philippines Men's Bowling Event 1st 2nd 3rd World Bowling Championships – 3 1 World Games – – 2 Asian Games 1 1 – Asian Championships 6 – 1 Federal Territory 5 – – Southeast Asian Games 9 5 5 World Tenpin Bowling Championships Silver 1991 Singapore Team Bronze 1991 Singapore Doubles Silver 1987 Helsinki Singles Silver 1983 Caracas Trios World Games Bronze 1997 Lahti Singles Bronze 1993 Hague Singles Asian Games Gold 2002 Busan Doubles Silver 1994 Hiroshima Team of five Asian Championships Gold Taiwan 1998 All Events Bronze Taiwan 1998 Masters Gold Guam 1994 Masters Gold Singapore 1984 All Events Gold Manila 1982 Doubles Gold Manila 1982 All Events Gold Jakarta 1976 Masters Southeast Asian Games Bronze Jakarta 1997 Singles Silver 1993 Singapore Trio Bronze 1993 Singapore Masters Bronze 1993 Singapore All-around Gold 1991 Manila Singles Silver 1991 Manila All-around Gold 1987 Indonesia Singles Gold 1987 Indonesia Doubles Gold 1987 Indonesia All Events Bronze 1987 Indonesia Team Gold 1985 Bangkok Doubles Gold 1985 Bangkok All Events Silver 1983 Singapore Singles Silver 1983 Singapore Team Silver 1983 Singapore All Events Bronze 1983 Singapore Masters Gold 1981 Manila Doubles Gold 1981 Manila Trios Gold 1981 Manila All Events

Rafael "Paeng" Nepomuceno is a super famous Filipino bowler and coach. He's known all over the world for being a six-time world champion in bowling! He's even in the World Bowling Hall of Fame. Paeng is also the first and only bowler to get a special award called the IOC President's Trophy from the International Olympic Committee.

He was named the International Bowling Athlete of the Millennium in 1999. In 2018, he was added to the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame. Paeng is also the first Filipino bowler to have a special postage stamp made in his honor. This stamp was released in 2021 to celebrate his amazing achievements.

Paeng has won the Bowling World Cup four times: in 1976, 1980, 1992, and 1996. He also won the World's Invitational Tournament in 1984. In 1999, he became the champion of the World Tenpin Masters.

The Guinness World Records has honored Paeng four times! He was recognized as the "Youngest tenpin bowling world champion" when he won in 1976. He also holds records for "most wins of the tenpin bowling world cup" and "most tenpin bowling titles." As of 2019, he had won 133 titles, breaking his own record of 118 titles from 2007.

Paeng Nepomuceno is also a USBC Gold level coach. He is the only Asian to have this special certification from the United States Bowling Congress. The Philippine Sportswriters Association named him Athlete of the Year in 1999.

In 2004 and 2013, Bowlers Journal International magazine called Paeng the "Greatest international bowler." In 2022, at 65 years old, he bowled his 37th perfect 300 game!

Paeng's Early Life and School

Rafael "Paeng" Nepomuceno was born on January 30, 1957. He was born in Quezon City, Philippines. His father, Angel, was a bowling coach. His mother, Teresa Villareal, was a former Miss Philippines.

Paeng went to La Salle Green Hills for elementary and high school. He later studied at Adamson University for college.

Paeng's Amazing Bowling Career

Becoming a Champion Bowler

Paeng Nepomuceno first tried golf when he was 10 years old. But he soon switched to bowling. One rainy day, he and his father went to a bowling center. That's when Paeng asked his dad to sign him up for a junior bowling league.

He won his first tournament, the Philippine Junior Masters Championship, at age 15. At 17, he won the Philippine International Masters. This made him the youngest winner of that tournament.

Paeng became a world champion at the QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup. He won this big event four times: in 1976, 1980, 1992, and 1996. When he won in 1976, he was only 19 years old. This earned him the Guinness World Records title for "youngest tenpin bowling world champion."

He also won many medals at the Southeast Asian Games. He won three gold medals in 1981 when the games were in Manila. In 1985, he won two gold medals and one bronze. He added three more gold medals in 1987 and another gold in 1991.

Paeng also won the World Invitational Tournament in 1984. This competition happened during the 1984 Summer Olympics. He has won two bronze medals at the World Games in 1993 and 1997. In 1999, he won the World Tenpin Masters championship. That year, he had a hand injury that needed surgery.

In 2009, Paeng received the Sportsman Award at the QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup. He was the first Filipino to get this award. In 2011, at 54, he became the oldest winner of the Philippine International Masters. By 2020, he had won 133 career titles. His 133rd title was in July 2019.

Paeng as a Coach

In 2007, Paeng Nepomuceno joined the United States Bowling Congress as an International Ambassador. He wanted to help promote bowling around the world. He also started training to become a USBC certified coach.

He trained at the International Training and Research Center in Arlington, Texas. By 2013, he earned his USBC gold level coaching certification. He is the first and only Asian to achieve this high coaching level.

In 2016, Paeng was named the head coach for the Philippine national bowling team. Under his coaching, Krizziah Tabora became the women's champion of the 2017 QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup.

Awards and Recognitions

Awards from World Sports Groups

The International Olympic Committee gave Paeng Nepomuceno its highest sports award. This was the IOC President's Trophy in November 1999. In the same year, the Federation Internationale des Quilleurs (FIQ) called him the "Athlete of the Millennium."

He was the first male bowler to be put into the International Bowling Hall of Fame in 1993. A seven-foot image of him is at the entrance of the International Bowling Museum in Arlington, Texas.

Awards from the Philippine Government

Paeng Nepomuceno has received many awards from Philippine Presidents. Five different presidents have honored him. These awards include the Presidential Medal of Merit and the Philippine Legion of Honor. He also received the Order of Lakandula. He was the first Filipino athlete to get the Presidential Medal of Merit in 1984.

Both the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives have called Paeng the "Greatest Philippine Athlete of All Time." The Philippine Sportswriters Association named him Philippine Athlete of the Century in 1999.

Awards from Sportswriters

The Philippine Sportswriters Association named Paeng Nepomuceno the Athlete of the Year five times. They put him in their Hall of Fame in 1997. In 1999, they named him Athlete of the Century.

The World Bowling Writers gave him the Mort Luby Jr. Distinguished Service Award. They also named him World Bowler of the Year three times. In 1993, he was the first person inducted into the World Bowling Writers Hall of Fame.

Other Special Honors

The Philippine Jaycees gave Paeng a Ten Outstanding Young Men Award in 1978. He was inducted into the De La Salle Alumni Association Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. He also received the Distinguished Lasallian Award in 2009. Since 2012, he has been part of Adamson University's Hall of Fame.

He has been honored four times in the Guinness World Records. These include being the "youngest tenpin bowling champion" and having the "most wins of the tenpin bowling world cup." He also holds the record for "most tenpin bowling titles" with 133 titles as of 2020.

Paeng's Personal Life

Paeng Nepomuceno is married to Saira ("Pinky") Puyat. They have one son and two daughters.

Paeng loves to stay fit. He runs and lifts weights to help him be a better bowler. He is also a professor and senior lecturer at the University of the Philippines.