Singapore wins first gold in team
30th September, Anyang, Korea: First block leader, Singapore claimed victory in the 5-player Team event to capture their first gold medal at the 17th Asian Games Incheon 2014 with Korea settling for the silver and Indonesia the bronze.
Cherie Tan, Daphne Tan, Shayna Ng, New Hui Fen and Jazreel Tan got off the second block with only 975 but still managed to lead the pack as Korea homed in with 1039 to reduce their overnight gap from 95 to 31 pins.
Singapore fended off the challenge from Korea with 1016 in the fourth game while Korea’s Lee Na Young, Lee Yeong Seung (alternating for Jeon Eun Hee), Jung Da Wun, Kim Jin Sun and Son Yun Hee managed only 925 to fall 122 pins behind Singapore.
China made progress to stay in a medal contention position in third with Chinese Taipei and Indonesia hot on their heels fighting the the minor placing.
Tension was also mounting for the All Events gold medal contenders. Overnight leader, Sin Li Jane of Malaysia, who had a 25 pin lead going into the Team second block, stumbled to a 169 in her opening game allowing Lee Na Young of Korea to take over the lead with a 55 pins margin.
Li Jane bounced back with 222 to reduce the gap to just 37 pins after the fifth game as Lee rolled 204. The gold came down to the deciding sixth and final game.
Meanwhile, Singapore ended the block with 984 to secure their first gold medal with 6119. Korea settled for the silver medla with 6048, 71 pins adrift. Indonesia, who was sixth, fought galantly to snatch the bronze medal with 956 in the last game for 5840 total.
Chinese Taipei improved to fourth but was 24 pin short of the Indonesians to missed the podium with 5816 while China rolled only 892 to finish fifth with 5811.
All Events leader Lee had an early opened frame in but recovered with a double. Li Jane started off with a double but also had a split. Both the Korean and the Malaysian struck twice again but the momemtum was clearly on the Korean’s side especially with the capacity crowd cheering her on.
Lee ended the team event with 1256 to secure the gold with 5132. Li Jane ended with 1194 to settle for her second silver medal with 5095. Jazreel Tan claimed the bronze with 5013. Son Yun Hee and Cherie Tan rounded out the top 5.
There were five Korean women in the top 16 of the All Events table and three had to give up their places in the Masters finals. Singapore also had five and three had to give up. China and Indonesia have two women each in the top 16.
New Hui Fen, Shayna Ng and Daphne Tan, who finished 10th, 13th and 14th respectively in the All Events standings had to give up their slots due to the maximum of two players from each NOC rule. Joey Yeo finished 26th position.
This leave five available slots which went to Singles gold medalist, Chou Chia Chen and Wang Ya Ting, both from Chinese Taipei. Chan Suk Han of Hong Kong, Angkana Netrviseth of Thailand and Marie Alexis Sy of Philippines made up the top 16 finalists.
Detailed scores: Women’s Team Block 1 | Women’s All Events | Photo Album.
Photos by Terence Yaw in Anyang, Korea.