In Ho Chi Minh City, disabled bowlers roll forward with determination, 8kg ball

One midday, Chiem Hai Au, 41, and his wife, Danh Thi My Thanh, 40, gently woke their two daughters.

“Get ready to go bowling with mom and dad,” they called out, carefully securing their wheelchair onto their three-wheeled motorbike before heading to MegaBowl, nearly 15 kilometers from their home in Binh Thoi Ward.

Pushing his wheelchair to the ball return, Au grasped the heavy ball with effort.

For him, playing bowling involves many more steps than for able-bodied players.

He unlocks the wheelchair’s brakes, grips the wheel tightly with his left hand, and swings the ball back with his right to gain momentum.

Some players on crutches face even greater challenges—limping to build momentum, and sometimes falling due to the ball’s heavy weight.

At the Para Bowling Club, all members are disabled, including children with developmental delays.

Age and skill do not matter here; they teach each other techniques and celebrate together when someone scores a perfect 10.

The biggest challenge for disabled bowlers is retrieving the ball from the lane.

To help, teammates take turns passing the ball to the player.

Nguyen Hong Loi, 38, the club’s founding member and mentor to newcomers, said scoring a perfect 10 is exceptionally difficult.

“We can’t take a proper run-up or perform the standard throwing motion,” he explained.

“Plus, the heavy ball can easily cause injury if not handled correctly.”

Coach Pham Quoc Bao Ky divides members into groups based on ability: those without arms receive specialized support, while wheelchair users are coached on separate lanes.

The club holds regular practice sessions from noon to 2:00 pm, Monday through Thursday.

Since opening just a month ago, it has attracted more than 30 members — all free of charge.

After two months of training, members compete internally, with top players selected for the city’s disabled athletes team.

“Some could even represent the country in competitions if they have what it takes,” Ky said confidently.

“I’m working hard to help everyone reach that goal.”