Singapore youngster eying for gold
5th July, Singapore: Basil Low will be eying a a first gold medal for the boy's division after a good showing in the first block of the Masters finals of the 1st Asian Youth Games 2009 on Sunday. Thailand's Peerawich Rungcharoen set a blistering pace with 278 in the opening game of the 8-games round-robin matchplay first block finals to take a 23 pins lead over Indonesia's Dennis Ranova.
The Thai continued to lead after the second game but found his margin reduced to just 2 pin as Ranova closed in on Peerawich with Filipino, Collins Jose and Singapore's Basil Low in close company.
While Peerawich dropped his pace in the next two games, it was the Ranova who surged into the lead at the halfway mark followed by Choi in second, 16 pins adrift and Jose in third a further 12 pins away.
The lead changed hands in the next four games as the battle for the lead heated up. Eventually, Peerawich finished the strongest amongst the top 4 to end the block with 1863 and took pole position despite winning four matches only.Choi and the strong finishing Low tied second spot with 1835. Choi won five matches while the Singaporean youngster won five and tied two matches. Justin Lim ended a creditable fifth on a total of 1786.
"I'm very surprised that I managed to lead here," said the 16-year-old high school student from Bangkok, Peerawich. "This is my third international tournament and I'm enjoying the competition and hope that I can win at lease a medal."
"I bowled well today and to finish in the top 3 was my aim," said the 17-year-old Basil Low, who won a silver medal in the Team event yesterday. "I hope I can maintain the same pace if not better tomorrow and hope to make the stepladder finals.
The boys will return to the lanes for their second block of 7 games plus the position round match to determine the top 3 who will advance to the stepladder finals. The girls are schedule to start later this afternoon.
Photos by Terence Yaw for SBF.