Nepomuceno racked up his 118th career title last September in Melbourne, winning the South Pacific Classic, Australia’s most prestigious individual tournament. Nepomuceno prevailed over Jason Belmonte, last year’s World Tenpin Masters Champion.
That victory gave Nepomuceno the distinction of having three existing Guinness Records.
For winning in Melbourne, Nepomuceno was honored last January 3 at the Malacañang Palace by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who conferred on him the Order of Lakandula with the Special Class of Champion for Life.
The Hall of Famer’s first Guinness Record was for winning four World Cups in three different decades (70’s, 80’s and 90’s). His second Guinness distinction was in recognition of his feat as the youngest to win a world title at age 19.
“This is a great honor and I’d like to share it with all my countrymen," said Nepomuceno. “Whenever I compete, my countrymen always give me great support, which gives me great inspiration to always do my best."
Nepomuceno was congratulated again by the Guinness World Records Management Team and welcomed to the select club of World Record-holders in an accompanying letter.
In November 1999, Nepomuceno was awarded the International Olympic Committee President’s Trophy, the highest award for sports made especially significant because bowling is still not recognized as an Olympic sport.
In the same year, Nepomuceno was named by the World Bowling Federation’s Athlete of the Millennium.
In 2003, Nepomuceno was recognized by the Bowler’s Journal International as “the Greatest International Bowler of All Time" and became the first athlete to be enshrined in the International Bowling Hall of Fame and Museum in St. Louis, Missouri, where his seven-foot image is displayed at the museum’s entrance.
Nepomuceno, who still actively competes up to this day, is the only bowler in the world who has won titles in the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. (GMANews.TV)
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