NOW, we wait.

Orange tenpin bowling star Jason Belmonte believes his chosen sport should feel optimistic about its chances of inclusion at the 2020 Olympic Games after leading the World Bowling team’s final round of International Federations (IF) interviews with the Tokyo 2020 Additional Events Panel Organising Committee last Saturday morning.

Belmonte was the only professional bowler in the eight-man World Bowling team - the delegation including four representatives from World Bowling, two representatives from Japan Bowling Congress (JBC) and two World Bowling athletes, with Belmonte joined by Japan’s own two-time World Youth Champion Shion Izumune - to present tenpin bowling’s case for inclusion at an Olympic level in five years’ time.

After two days of interviews where World Bowling highlighted the game’s ability to unite and its unique mix of performance and participation, Belmonte believes the sport put together a strong case for inclusion, with the organising committee then to propose the successful IF to the IOC in September.

“It’s an incredibly nervy wait,” Belmonte said.

“I think we submitted a pretty strong case on behalf of bowling and the World Bowling team.

“The presentation was solid and the questions we were asked we answered honestly and directly. It’s a sport given a lot of respect in Japan. 

“I feel like we’ve got a really strong chance.”

Tenpin was one of eight sports to submit its bid for inclusion, with the World Baseball Softball Confederation, the World Karate Federation, the International Roller Sports Federation, the International Federation of Sport Climbing, the World Squash Federation, the International Surfing Association and the International Wushu Federation all ramping up their respective bids for 2020.

Belmonte said the popularity of tenpin bowling in Japan will help the sport’s cause.

“And I think the World Bowling team presented a very united front, and culturally that’s something that means a lot in Japan. They want to see that unity in sport,” he added.

“Japan is a country that treats bowling with a lot of respect, and I should probably shouldn’t say this is the only chance in my lifetime, because I plan on leading a long life, but statistically I think this is our best shot.”

The final decision on inclusion will be made at the 129th IOC Session in Rio in August 2016.