Paeng Nepomuceno, The Greatest Filipino Athlete of All Time

Aidan with The Greatest of All Time Bowler, Paeng Nepomuceno

We realized that Paeng’s achievements were super underrated and when he gave the opening inspirational talk, it was a standing ovation that I’ve never seen before in our company. It was Paeng’s first corporate talk and everyone agrees that it was one of the best speeches we have ever heard. In fact, Paeng’s inspirational speech was a lot better (in my opinion) than Nadia because of his achievement of winning 6 international championships in 3 decades vs. Nadia’s 1976 Olympic Glory. He reinvented himself over time, by mastering the fundamentals and having the self discipline that made him the greatest Filipino athlete of all time.

The picture above was taken 3 months ago as a promotional photo for the sport of bowling. He wanted to have an abs like Manny Pacquiao and show the world that Bowling requires the same fitness as any other sport. He was able to do it at the age of close to 50 and he challenges us that we can do whatever we set our minds on.

I actually shed a tear, when he shared with us one of the critical incident that happened in the First World Cup in 1976 in Tehran, Iran. An American insulted him by criticizing the Philippines and Filipino Bowlers in general. He said that in the Philippine Islands, the bowlers use coconuts and the lanes are made of nipa. (Of course, he delivered it in a very emotional way) He won that First World Cup and a total of six-(6) World Bowling Titles! It made me proud to be a Filipino and that is why he wears this special dri-fit shirt patterned after the Philippine flag.

Related Posts:
‘A truly sporting treasure’ by Chino Trinidad
Paeng Nepomuceno’s Official Website

Paeng’s Achievement

• Rafael “Paeng” Nepomuceno (born January 30, 1957 in Manila) is a Filipino bowler who has won the World Cup in bowling four times in three decades. There is no doubt in my mind that Paeng Nepomuceno is the Greatest Filipino Athlete of all Time!

• He is the ONLY bowler who had received the prestigious International Olympic Committee President’s Trophy. This award was the highest award given to any athlete and only Paeng received it for a non-Olympic sport like bowling.

• He was the youngest Filipino who won the 1974 Philippine Open. Usually one of the characteristic of a G.O.A.T. is that they set records that is not easily beaten and it stands the test of time.

• He won his first World Cup In Tehran, Iran on November 19, 1976.

• He won the second Bowling World Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia on November 1, 1980.

• Nepomuceno also won the International Tournament championship in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 8, 1984.

• He won his third Bowling World Cup in Le Mans, France on November 8, 1992.

• He won his fourth Bowling World Cup in Belfast, Northern Ireland on November 23, 1996.

• Paeng won the World Tenpin Masters championship in London, England on March 7, 1999.

• Paeng is honored with two records in the Guiness Book of World Records. He was the youngest (at 19 years old) person to win the Bowling World Cup and for winning 4 World Cup which is the most wins of any bowler in history.

• He was the first enshrined in the International Bowli

• The Philippine Congress has named him “Greatest Filipino Athlete of All Time.