Singaporean settled for the Silver
3rd February, Perth: Squad A leader and reigning national champion, Jason Yeong Nathan of Singapore, settled for the Silver medal in the 13th Asian Youth Tenpin Bowling Championship after being pipped by Korea's Choi Bok-Eum in Squad B. Penang Pesta International champion, Choi Bok-Eum gave Korea their second Gold medal when he posted 1392 to take the victory in the Boy's Singles over Long oil. The champion only needed a 181 or better score in his sixth and final game to win and the 19-year-old duly oblidged with a 225.
Singapore's reigning national champion, Jason Yeong Nathan was contented with the Silver, 31 pins adrift on 1361 scored earlier in the morning. Japan's Ikeda Daiki stormed home with a superb 259 in the final game to snatch the Bronze medal from teammate, Kawada Shoji with 1360, just 1 pin from Nathan.
Malaysia's Aaron Kong, who was third in the earlier squad dropped to eighth behind Hong Kong's Wu Sui Hong and Saudi Arabia's Bader Al-Shaikh, who finished joint-fifth on 1317 and Sasaki Tomoyuki of Japan in seventh.
In the gilr's division, Gang Hye-Eun, who led in Squad A this morning, was knocked out of a medal finishing fourth after the two squads were combined. Malaysia's Zandra Aziela set a blistering pace at the start of Squad B and built up a commanding lead of 84 pins at the halfway mark with Choi Jin-A of Korea right on her heels.
A 178 in the fourth game allowed Choi to narrow the gap to 43 pins. Despite posting a 225 in the fifth, the champion blazed the lanes with a superb 268 which left just 1 pin for Zandra going into the final game.
The pressure must have gotten to the 19-year-old SEA Games Gold medalist as she crumbled to a disappointing 165 while Choi brought home a 221 to seal the victory with a total of 1346. Zandra settled for the Silver with 1291 while her teammate and Women's World Championship Singles Gold medalist, Esther Cheah stormed home to pip Squad A leader by 4 pins for the Bronze medal with 1279.
The bowlers will contest another 6 games in the Singles over the Short Oil condition again divided over two squads on Friday, 4th February at 9.00am.
Detailed scores: Girl's Singles Long | Boy's Singles Long | Photo Album.
Photos courtesy of MTBC.