Paeng Nepomuceno

Paeng Nepomuceno
Paeng Nepomuceno in 2008
Personal information
Full nameRafael Villareal Nepomuceno
Nickname
Paeng
Born (1957-01-30) January 30, 1957
Quezon City, Philippines
Alma materLa Salle Green Hills
Adamson University
Occupation(s)Bowling player and coach
Years active1970–present
Spouse
Saira Puyat
Websitewww.paengbowling.com
Sport
Country Philippines
SportBowling
Coached byAngel Nepomuceno
Achievements and titles
World finals
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
Total 21 9 9
World Tenpin Bowling Championships
1991 Singapore Team
1991 Singapore Doubles
1987 Helsinki Singles
1983 Caracas Trios
World Games
1997 Lahti Singles
1993 Hague Singles
Asian Games
2002 Busan Doubles
1994 Hiroshima Team of five
Asian Championships
Taiwan 1998 All Events
Taiwan 1998 Masters
Guam 1994 Masters
Singapore 1984 All Events
Manila 1982 Doubles
Manila 1982 All Events
Jakarta 1976 Masters
Southeast Asian Games
Jakarta 1997 Singles
1993 Singapore Trio
1993 Singapore Masters
1993 Singapore All-around
1991 Manila Singles
1991 Manila All-around
1987 Indonesia Singles
1987 Indonesia Doubles
1987 Indonesia All Events
1987 Indonesia Team
1985 Bangkok Doubles
1985 Bangkok All Events
1983 Singapore Singles
1983 Singapore Team
1983 Singapore All Events
1983 Singapore Masters
1981 Manila Doubles
1981 Manila Trios
1981 Manila All Events

Rafael "Paeng" Villareal Nepomuceno (born January 30, 1957) is a Filipino bowler and coach who is a six time World bowling champion. He is a World Bowling Hall of Famer and is the first and only bowling athlete to be awarded with the prestigious IOC (International Olympic Committee) President's Trophy. He was also named International Bowling Athlete of the Millennium by the FIQ (Federation Internationale des Quilleurs) in 1999 and was inducted in the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.

Paeng is the first Filipino bowling athlete to be honored with a commemorative stamp when the Philippine Postal corporation issued a World Renowned Filipino Living Legend Stamp bearing his image to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the first Philippine stamp on November 13, 2021.

He has won the World Cup of Bowling four times (1976, 1980, 1992 and 1996). Nepomuceno has also won the World's Invitational Tournament in 1984 and the World Tenpin Masters championship in 1999.

He has been honored by the Guinness World Records four times. His first was as the "Youngest tenpin bowling world champion" by winning the 1976 Bowling World Cup in Tehran, then for "the most wins of the tenpin bowling world cup (1976, 1980, 1992, and 1996)", and for "the most tenpin bowling titles of 133 and was achieved in Quezon City, Philippines, on 13 July 2019", he broke his own record of 118 titles which was first established in 2007.

Nepomuceno is also a USBC Gold level coach, the only Asian to hold the certification from the United States Bowling Congress. He was named by the Philippine Sportswriters Association the Athlete of the Year in 1999.

The Bowlers Journal International picked Paeng as its Greatest international bowler in its International Edition in September 2004 and also on its November 2013 100-year Anniversary issue.

Paeng at 65 years old rolled his 37th Sanctioned Perfect 300 game at the 24th Sta Lucia East Bowling Association (SLETBA) Open Masters Finals on October 16, 2022.