Paeng Nepomuceno

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Paeng Nepomuceno

| image = Paeng Nepomuceno (cropped).jpg

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| caption = Paeng Nepomuceno in 2008

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| birth_name =

| full_name = Rafael Villareal Nepomuceno

| nickname = Paeng

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1957|01|30}}

| birth_place = Quezon City, Philippines

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| alma_mater = La Salle Green Hills
Adamson University

| occupation = Bowling player and coach

| years_active = 1970–present

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| spouse = Saira Puyat

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| website = {{URL|www.paengbowling.com}}

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| country = {{flag|Philippines}}

| sport = Bowling

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| coach = Angel Nepomuceno{{cite news|last1=Ortiga|first1=Kara|title=Paeng Nepomuceno|url=https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/esqa/paeng-nepomuceno|access-date=1 January 2018|work=Equire|date=3 February 2017}}

| retired =

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| worlds = {{ubl

|1976 Bowling World Cup: Champion

|1980 Bowling World Cup: Champion

|1992 Bowling World Cup: Champion

|1996 Bowling World Cup: Champion

|1999 World Tenpin Masters: Champion

|1984 Worlds Invitational Tournament: Champion

}}

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|medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry | {{PHI}} }}

{{MedalCount | total = yes

| 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

}}

{{MedalSilver | 1991 Singapore|Team}}{{Cite web|url=http://etbf.eu/his-wor-wch-dis-mens-team5/|title=HIS-WOR-WCH-DIS-MENS-Team5 – EBF | European Bowling Federation|website=etbf.eu}}

{{MedalBronze | 1991 Singapore|Doubles}}{{Cite web|url=http://etbf.eu/his-wor-wch-dis-mens-doubles/|title = HIS-WOR-WCH-DIS-MENS-Doubles – ETBF | European Tenpin Bowling Federation}}

{{MedalSilver | 1987 Helsinki|Singles}}{{Cite web|url=http://etbf.eu/his-wor-wch-dis-mens-singles/|title = HIS-WOR-WCH-DIS-MENS-Singles – ETBF | European Tenpin Bowling Federation}}

{{MedalSilver | 1983 Caracas|Trios}}{{Cite web|url=http://etbf.eu/his-wor-wch-dis-mens-trios/|title=HIS-WOR-WCH-DIS-MENS-Trios – EBF | European Bowling Federation|website=etbf.eu}}

{{MedalGold|Taiwan 1998 | All Events}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.abf-online.org/results/26thatbc-2.htm|title=abf-online.org - brought to you by ASIAN BOWLING FEDERATION - 26thatbc-2.htm|website=www.abf-online.org}}

{{MedalGold|Guam 1994 | Masters}}{{cite news |author1=Thomas Koh |title=Paeng captures Masters crown |publisher=The Straits Times |date=10 July 1994 |ref=Microfilm Reel NL19376 |page=32 |quote=Filipino southpaw ends 18-year wait to register second victory in Guam. History came round full circle for Filipino Paeng Nepomuceno, who won the men's Masters title at the Asian FIQ bowling championships at the Central Lanes yesterday.}}

{{MedalGold|Jakarta 1976 | Masters}}{{cite news |author1=Brian Miller |title=Paeng shooting for third W-Cup title |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/newnation19801109-1.2.67?ST=1&AT=search&k=Paeng%20Nepomuceno%20FIQ&QT=paeng,nepomuceno,fiq&oref=article |publisher=New Nation |date=9 November 1980 |ref=Microfilm Reel NL10815 |page=28 |quote=In 1976, he made the Filipino team for the Asian FIQ championships in Jakarta... he walked away with the individual gold medal."That victory made me the best in Asia. I had achieved my goal."}}

{{MedalBronze|Jakarta 1997 | Singles}} {{cite web

| title = SEA Games Tenpin Bowling Championships Past Winners

| url = http://www.abf-online.org/results/30thsea-3.htm

| website = www.abf-online.org

| date =

| access-date = 2 April 2021 }}

{{MedalSilver|1993 Singapore |Trio{{cite web|title=SEA Games Philippine Medallists [sic] since 1991 : 17th SEA Games - Singapore 1993|url=http://www.olympic.ph/pdf/SEAGamesMedallists.pdf|publisher=Philippine Olympic Committee|access-date=1 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130129212333/http://www.olympic.ph/pdf/SEAGamesMedallists.pdf|archive-date=29 January 2013|date=September 2004|page=28|url-status=dead}}}}

{{MedalGold|1991 Manila |Singles{{cite web|title=SEA Games Philippine Medallists [sic] since 1991 : 16th SEA Games - Manila 1991|url=http://www.olympic.ph/pdf/SEAGamesMedallists.pdf|publisher=Philippine Olympic Committee|access-date=1 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130129212333/http://www.olympic.ph/pdf/SEAGamesMedallists.pdf|archive-date=29 January 2013|date=September 2004|page=35|url-status=dead}}}}

{{MedalGold|1985 Bangkok | Doubles}}{{cite book |title=Paeng Nepomuceno on top of the World Cup |date=January 13, 1997 |publisher=Mirror Weekly Magazine}}

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}}

File:Nepomuceno being ASix times by Five Philippine Presidents with the Presidential Medal of Merit in 1984, Philippine Legion of Honor in 1999, Order of Lakandula in 2008 and Presidential Citations in 1988, 1992 and 1996.jpg

File:Nepomuceno being awarded the IOC ( International Olympic Committee) Presidents Trophy in 1999 in Abu Dhabi, UAE.jpg

File:Nepomuceno at the Entrance of the International Bowling Hall of Fame and Museum, Arlington, Texas in 2010.jpg

File:PSC Hall of Fame awarding Paeng Nepomuceno.jpg File:Nepomuceno receives his World Bowling Hall of Fame plaque from Bernard Gibbons in a ceremony in Johannesburg, South Africa 1993.jpg

File:Nepomuceno was honored with a World Renowned Filipino Living Legend commemorative Stamp.jpg

Rafael "Paeng" Villareal Nepomuceno (born January 30, 1957) is a Filipino bowler and coach who is a six time World bowling champion.{{Cite web|url=https://www.philstar.com/sports/2006/08/29/355217/paeng-proud-be-pinoy|title = Paeng: Proud to be Pinoy| website=The Philippine STAR }} 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.{{Cite web |url=https://issuances-library.senate.gov.ph/legislative%2Bissuances/Senate%20Resolution%20No.%2042%2C%20s.%202000 |title=Senate Resolution No. 42, s. 2000 | Senate of the Philippines Legislative Library |access-date=2021-10-18 |archive-date=2021-10-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020035641/https://issuances-library.senate.gov.ph/legislative%2Bissuances/Senate%20Resolution%20No.%2042%2C%20s.%202000 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bowlingmuseum.com/Honorees/Hall-of-Famers/IBMA|title = IBMA | Bowling Museum & Hall of Fame}} He was also named International Bowling Athlete of the Millennium by the FIQ (Federation Internationale des Quilleurs) in 1999{{Cite web|url=https://issuances-library.senate.gov.ph/node/44034|title = Memorandum Order No. 468, s. 1998 | Senate of the Philippines Legislative Library}} and was inducted in the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://psc.gov.ph/en/psc-news-related-article/diay-paeng-coo-lead-new-batch-of-inductees-into-ph-sports-hall-of-fame.html|title = Diay, Paeng, Coo lead new batch of inductees into PH Sports Hall of Fame| work=Philippine Sports Commission }}

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.{{cite web | title=Paeng Nepomuceno honored with commemorative stamp | website=ABS-CBN News | date=13 November 2021 | url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/multimedia/photo/11/13/21/paeng-nepomuceno-honored-with-commemorative-stamp | access-date=17 November 2023}}

He has won the World Cup of Bowling four times (1976, 1980, 1992 and 1996).{{cite web | title= Bowling World Cup Winners | url=http://etbf.eu/his-oth-qaw-dis-mens-singles/}} Nepomuceno has also won the World's Invitational Tournament in 1984 and the World Tenpin Masters championship in 1999.{{cite web | last=Castillejo | first=Dyan | title=Paeng Nepomuceno makes history anew | website=ABS-CBN News | date=10 July 2013 | url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/07/10/13/paeng-nepomuceno-makes-history-anew | access-date=17 November 2023}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.newsflash.org/1999/04/sp/sp000654.htm|title=PHNO: Sports Beat|website=www.newsflash.org}}

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)",{{cite web |title=Most wins of the tenpin bowling world cup |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/64571-most-wins-of-the-tenpin-bowling-world-cup |website=guinnessworldrecords.com |publisher=Guinness World Records}} 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.{{cite web |title=Most tenpin bowling titles |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/88631-most-tenpin-bowling-titles |website=guinnessworldrecords.com |date=13 July 2019 |publisher=Guinness World Records}}

Nepomuceno is also a USBC Gold level coach, the only Asian to hold the certification from the United States Bowling Congress.{{cite web| url = https://manilastandard.net/sports/143384/paeng-is-certified-gold-level-coach.html| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180102073025/http://manilastandard.net/sports/143384/paeng-is-certified-gold-level-coach.html| archive-date = 2018-01-02| title = Paeng is certified gold-level coach - Manila Standard| website = Manila Standard}} He was named by the Philippine Sportswriters Association the Athlete of the Year in 1999.[https://s3.amazonaws.com/ww-article-cache-1/en/PSA_Athlete_of_the_Year PSA Athlete of the Year] amazonaws.com {{dead link|date=November 2023}}

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

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.

Early life and education

Rafael "Paeng" Nepomuceno was born on January 30, 1957, in Quezon City, Philippines to Angel Nepomuceno and Teresa Villareal. Paeng Nepomuceno's father, Angel, is a bowling coach while his mother is a former Miss Philippines (1952).{{cite book|last1=Grasso|first1=John|last2=Hartman|first2=Eric|title=Historical Dictionary of Bowling - Nepomuceno, Rafael "Paeng"|date=7 August 2014|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-0810880221|page=219|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bblKBAAAQBAJ&q=Rafael%20Villareal%20Nepomuceno&pg=PA219|access-date=1 January 2018}} He attended La Salle Green Hills for his elementary and high school studies. He studied in Adamson University for his college education.{{cite web|title=Nepomuceno, Rafael "Paeng" V.|url=http://www.dlsaa.com/honors-and-awards/awardees/nepomuceno-rafael-%E2%80%9Cpaeng%E2%80%9D-v|publisher=De La Salle Alumni Association|access-date=1 January 2018}}

Career

=Competitive career=

Paeng Nepomuceno was initially into golf at age 10 but later switched to bowling. He got involved in bowling after he and his father sought shelter at the Mile High Bowling Center in Baguio due to rain. He then asked his father to enroll him in a junior league held at Coronado Lanes in Metro Manila.

His first tournament was the Philippine Junior Masters Championship, which he won at age 15. He also won the Philippine International Masters at age 17, becoming the youngest winner of the tournament.

He competed at the Bowling World Cup, becoming the men's champion in four editions (1976, 1980, 1992, and 1996). He was 19 years old when he won the 1976 edition. For this feat he was recognized by Guinness World Records as "youngest tenpin bowling world champion".{{cite news|title=Guinness honors Paeng for 3rd time|url=http://www.philstar.com/sports/2013/03/02/914856/guinness-honors-paeng-3rd-time|access-date=1 January 2018|work=The Philippine Star|date=2 March 2013}}

Nepomuceno also competed at the Southeast Asian Games. He won three gold medals in the 1981 edition which was hosted in Manila. In the 1985 Bangkok Games, he won two Gold medals and a Bronze.{{cite web|url=https://plex.page/Bowling_at_the_1985_Southeast_Asian_Games|title = Bowling at the 1985 Southeast Asian Games - Summarized by Plex.page | Content | Summarization}} He won three gold medals at the 1987 games in Jakarta and one gold medal at the 1991 games in Manila.{{cite news|last1=Henson|first1=Joaquin|title=Paeng hopes for 'Golden Age' in SEA Games|url=http://www.philstar.com/sports/2017/08/14/1728802/paeng-hopes-golden-age-sea-games|access-date=1 January 2018|date=14 August 2017}}

He also won the 1984 World Invitational Tournament, a competition held in conjunction with the Summer Olympics held in the same year. Nepomuceno also has represented the Philippines in the World Games winning the two bronze medals in total; in the 1993 and 1997 editions both in the men's single event.{{cite web |title=Results of the World Games - Rafael Nepomuceno |url=https://www.theworldgames.org/results#!athlete=Rafael%20NEPOMUCENO:3178 |website=The World Games |access-date=17 August 2018}} He also won the World Tenpin Masters in 1999. That year he suffered a left-hand injury, which required surgery which temporarily sidelined him from bowling.{{cite news|last1=Orellana|first1=Joel|title=Rafael 'Paeng' Nepomuceno: On top of the bowling world|url=https://businessmirror.com.ph/rafael-paeng-nepomuceno-on-top-of-the-bowling-world/|access-date=1 January 2018|work=Business Mirror|date=8 October 2015}}

Nepomuceno was given the Sportsman Award at the 2009 QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup. He is the first Filipino to receive the award.{{cite news|title=Nepomuceno wins World Cup Sportsman Award|url=http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/sports/content/177710/nepomuceno-wins-world-cup-sportsman-award/story/|access-date=1 January 2018|work=GMA News|date=24 November 2009}}

In 2011, he became the oldest winner of the Philippine International Masters, at age 54. By 2020, he had won 133 career titles, six of which are world titles. His latest title, his 133rd, was won at the 2019 PTBA Open Bowling Championships Masters in July 2019.{{cite news|title=Bowling Titles|url=http://www.paengbowling.com/bowling-titles|access-date=1 January 2018|work=Paeng Nepomuceno}}

=Coaching career=

Nepomuceno joined United States Bowling Congress in 2007 as an International Ambassador to help promote the sport of bowling. In the same year he began aiming to become a USBC certified coach and started training to become a USBC Coaching Level I and Bronze and Silver level Instructor.{{cite web|title=International bowling legend 'Paeng' joins forces with USBC as certified coach, ambassador By Patrick Brettingen|url=http://www.bowlingdigital.com/bowl/node/2360|website=BowlingDigital.com|publisher=USBC Coaching|access-date=1 January 2018|date=26 April 2007}} He hosted seminars discussing coaching and the sport itself. He underwent training the International Training and Research Center in Arlington, Texas, to attain a USBC gold level coaching certification, which he earned by 2013.{{cite news|title=Paeng first Pinoy to receive USBC gold coach certificate|url=http://www.philstar.com/sports/2013/07/05/961848/paeng-first-pinoy-receive-usbc-gold-coach-certificate|access-date=1 January 2018|work=The Philippine Star|date=5 July 2013}} He received the certification at the World Coaching conference at the USBC headquarters the following year.{{cite news|title=Paeng is certified gold-level coach|url=http://manilastandard.net/sports/143384/paeng-is-certified-gold-level-coach.html|access-date=1 January 2018|work=Manila Standard|date=22 March 2014}} He is the first and only Asian to attain the certification.

The Philippine Bowling Federation announced on March 21, 2016, that Nepomuceno had been appointed as head coach of the country's national bowlers.{{cite news|last1=Cordero|first1=Abac|title=Paeng named coach of Philippine bowling team|url=http://www.philstar.com/sports/2016/03/22/1565442/paeng-named-coach-philippine-bowling-team|access-date=1 January 2018|work=The Philippine Star|date=22 March 2016}}{{cite news |author1=June Navarro |title=World bowling champion Paeng takes over PH team |url=https://sports.inquirer.net/209401/world-bowling-champion-paeng-takes-over-ph-team |access-date=19 September 2021 |date=March 22, 2016}} Under his watch, Krizziah Tabora became the women's champion of the 2017 QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup.{{cite news|last1=Henson|first1=Joaquin|title=Filipino bowling back on track|url=http://www.philstar.com/sports/2017/12/30/1773040/filipino-bowling-back-track|access-date=1 January 2018|work=The Philippine Star|date=30 December 2017}}

Honors

=By world sporting bodies=

The International Olympic Committee awarded Nepomuceno its highest sports award, the IOC President's Trophy during the term of Juan Antonio Samaranch, in November 1999,{{Cite web|url=http://www.newsflash.org/1999/11/sp/sp000911.htm|title=PHNO: Sports Beat|website=www.newsflash.org}} in a ceremony in Abu Dhabi. In the same year the Federation Internationale des Quilleurs (FIQ) named him as the "Athlete of the Millennium".{{cite news|title=A 3rd Guinness record for RP bowler Paeng|url=http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/sports/content/106881/a-3rd-guinness-record-for-rp-bowler-paeng/story/|access-date=1 January 2018|work=GMA News|date=14 July 2008}}

He was the first male bowler to be inducted into the International Bowling Hall of Fame, in 1993. His seven foot image is displayed in front of the entrance of the International Bowling Museum in Arlington, Texas, where the hall of fame is hosted.{{cite news|last1=Terrado|first1=Reuben|title=Bowling great Paeng Nepomuceno sadly admits sports is the least priority in the Philippines|url=http://www.spin.ph/sports/bowling/news/bowling-great-paeng-nepomuceno-sadly-admits-sports-is-the-least-priority-in-the-philippines-|access-date=1 January 2018|work=Sports Interactive Network Philippines|date=28 May 2014}}

=From the government=

Nepomuceno has received recognition from the Philippine Presidents for his feats in bowling. Five Philippine presidents have conferred on him orders and medals, including the Presidential Medal of Merit by Ferdinand Marcos,{{Cite web|url=https://www.esquiremag.ph/culture/arts-and-entertainment/filipino-celebrities-with-presidential-medal-of-merit-a00297-20210825|title=10 Filipino Celebrities Who Have Received the Presidential Medal of Merit|website=Esquiremag.ph}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.quezon.ph/2004/12/17/presidential-medal-of-merit/|title=Presidential Medal of Merit – Manuel L. Quezon III|website=www.quezon.ph}} Philippine Legion of Honor by Joseph Estrada, and the Order of Lakandula with Class of Champion for Life by Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. He is the first Filipino athlete to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Merit (1984) and the Philippine Legion of Honor (1999). The other presidents that have honored Paeng are President Corazon C. Aquino and President Fidel V. Ramos.

Both the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives have declared Paeng the "Greatest Philippine Athlete of All Time". He was also named Philippine Athlete of the Century by the Philippine Sportswriters Association in 1999.{{Cite web|url=https://www.philstar.com/sports/2011/07/28/710484/paeng-planets-greatest-bowler|title = Paeng planet's greatest bowler| website=The Philippine STAR }}

=From sportswriters=

The Philippine Sportswriters Association recognized Nepomuceno as the Athlete of the Year five times (in 1976, 1980, 1984, 1992, and 1996). The association inducted him to their Hall of Fame in 1997, and in 1999 named him Athlete of the Century and in 2000 he was named among the "Athletes of the Millennium".{{cite web|title=Winners Circle|url=http://psaonline.tripod.com/winnerscircle/#|publisher=Philippine Sportswriters Association|access-date=1 January 2018}}

The World Bowling Writers awarded him the Mort Luby Jr. Distinguished Service Award, named him World Bowler of the Year three times (1984, 1985, and 1992),[http://legacy.senate.gov.ph/lisdata/109209692!.pdf Senate document] senate.gov.ph and named him to the World Bowling Writers Hall of Fame in 1993 as its first inductee.{{cite news|last1=Beltran|first1=Nelson|title=Paeng planet's greatest bowler|url=http://www.philstar.com/sports/710484/paeng-planets-greatest-bowler|access-date=1 January 2018|work=The Philippine Star|date=28 July 2011}}

=Other=

The Philippine Jaycees gave Nepomuceno a Ten Outstanding Young Men Award in 1978.{{cite news|last1=Caluag|first1=Randy|title=TOYM awardee Chris Tiu is more than just a basketball player|url=http://manilastandard.net/sports/136644/toym-awardee-chris-tiu-is-more-than-just-a-basketball-player.html|access-date=1 January 2018|work=Manila Standard|date=25 December 2013}} He was inducted into the De La Salle Alumni Association Sports Hall of Fame in 2003 and was also awarded with the Distinguished Lasallian Award in 2009. He has been part of Adamson University's Hall of Fame since 2012.{{cite news|title=Paeng, Calma, Codiñera head AdU honor roll|url=http://sports.inquirer.net/33763/paeng-calma-codinera-head-adu-honor-roll|access-date=1 January 2018|newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer|date=5 February 2012}}

He has been honored four times in the Guinness World Records. They recognized him as the "youngest tenpin bowling champion" by winning the 1976 Bowling World Cup in Tehran, for winning "most wins of the tenpin bowling world cup (1976, 1980, 1992, and 1996)", and for "most tenpin bowling titles" (133 titles as of 2020 records).{{cite news |title=Guinness Book honors Paeng for 4th time |url=https://manilastandard.net/sports/sports-plus/340200/guinness-book-honors-paeng-for-4th-time.html |access-date=22 November 2020 |work=Manila Standard |date=22 November 2020 |language=en}}

Personal life

Paeng Nepomuceno has been married to Saira ("Pinky") Puyat since he was 25. They have a son and two daughters.

Nepomuceno is a physical fitness enthusiast and also participates in runs and lifts weights as cross-training to improve his performance in bowling.

Currently he is a professor and a senior lecturer at the University of the Philippines.{{cite web |url=https://www.spot.ph/newsfeatures/the-latest-news-features/68950/paeng-nepomuceno-bowling-class-up-a00171-20170111 |title=World champion Paeng Nepomuceno to teach bowling class in UP |website=spot.ph |date=11 January 2017 }}