The 11th DIBC Open Bowling Tournament 2025 is happening now at the Dubai International Bowling Centre in Al Mamzar, Dubai, UAE. This event, approved by the International Bowling Federation (IBF) and the Asian Bowling Federation (ABF), runs from February 17–23 and has a prize fund of about €55,000.
Women's Division – Samantha Hannan Wins First Place
The Women's Division was a big highlight, with Samantha Hannan from the UK taking first place and winning over €1,500. Her victory was even more special because she had just returned to bowling after a three-month break due to an ankle injury.
Given her recent recovery, she knew she might not be at her best, yet she still pushed forward. For Hannan, winning is always the goal when she steps onto the lanes.
"I don’t usually go into finals without expecting to win, and I believe no one should. I definitely hoped to win, but at the same time, I was okay with not winning since it had only been a couple of weeks since I started bowling again and I was still recovering. Just before the final frame, I was told I was in second place, and I was fine with that. But after I spared in the last frame, the crowd started clapping and cheering, which completely surprised me."
Her journey back to competition was not an easy one. The injury that kept her off the lanes for months was severe, and the road to recovery was filled with uncertainty.
"I have a Grade 3 Osteochondral lesion in my talus, which happened at the start of November. We’re not entirely sure how it occurred—whether it was from box jumps in the gym or from bowling, since I felt intense pain one day after a league session. I’d been dealing with some soreness in my ankle before that, but I didn’t think much of it, assuming it was just a weak ankle. After an X-ray and MRI, I found out it was much worse than I had thought. I had the option of surgery or taking a conservative approach with a cast and a lot of physio. I chose the conservative route since surgery is a last resort. I spent most of November and December in a cast and cam boot, and used crutches or a wheelchair. It was especially tough because I had just won the Sheikha Hind Women’s tournament and felt great about my bowling. I just had to rest and hope I healed in time for the tournament."
Even with limited preparation, Hannan was determined to compete. She approached the tournament cautiously, making adjustments to manage the pain and regain her rhythm.
"I literally took it day by day. I practiced a couple times, taped up my ankle, and hoped there wouldn’t be too much pain. The day after bowling each time was uncomfortable but bearable. I didn’t think I was ready to compete in all the divisions due to the workload, so I decided to focus on the Women’s division. It was also a tough pattern which meant more qualifying squads, so about a week before the Women’s finals, I decided to focus only on that one. I bowled a squad the day before the finals to get comfortable and felt like I had my rhythm back. Going into the finals, I just believed in myself and told myself, 'I’m here to win today."
Uella Marcial from the Philippines finished in second place, and Alanood Alobaidalla from the UAE came in third. The competition was close, and all three bowlers put on a great performance.
Graded B & Graded C Results
In the Graded B Division, Rey Castillo from the Philippines took first place. Alanood Alobaidalla of the UAE secured second, while Rashed Almarzooqi, also from the UAE, finished third.
The Graded C Division saw Nathan Ducado from the Philippines win first place. Moza Bin Hashim from the UAE took second, and Khaled Hammadi from the UAE finished third.
What’s Next? The Open Finals
With these competitions wrapped up, the tournament now moves into the Open Finals. The final matches will take place on February 23, where more champions will be crowned.
Stay tuned for more updates as the tournament continues!
Full results can be found here.
