Team USA's Ausec, Woessner advance to women's singles medal round at World Senior Championships
December 09, 2023
CALI, Colombia – Despite being no strangers to elite competition, Dana Ausec of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Jodi Woessner of Oregon, Ohio, waited until they joined the senior ranks before starting their international bowling careers.
Neither will have to wait long to capture her first medal as a member of Senior Team USA, however, as both advanced to the women’s singles medals round at the International Bowling Federation 2023 World Senior Championships, which is being contested at the sports complex in Cali, Colombia, through Dec. 14.
Ausec punched her ticket by firing scores of 204, 227, 214, 172, 201 and 222 to finish third with a six-game total of 1,240 (a 206.67 average) during Friday morning’s early qualifying block.
Woessner only broke 200 twice during the afternoon session, but a final-game 269 vaulted her up the standings and allowed her to secure the fourth and final advancing spot in the 44-player field with a 1,209 total (a 201.5 average).
Colombia’s Sandra Montealegre qualified first at 1,271 (211, 224, 202, 232, 244 and 158), and Italy’s Alessandra Morra was second with 1,254 (228, 223, 178, 196, 212 and 217).
Team USA’s Tish Johnson of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Sharon Powers of Lakewood, Colorado, finished in 11th and 12th place, respectively with scores of 1,125 and 1,120.
The women’s singles semifinals will kick off Tuesday morning at 8 a.m. Eastern with Woessner facing Montealegre and Ausec battling Morra.
Regardless of how those matches pan out, Ausec and Woessner are guaranteed no worse than a bronze-medal finish; however, should both win in the semifinals, they would face one another for the gold medal.
At the conclusion of Friday’s action, both athletes took a moment to discuss what those medals will mean to them as well as what it felt like to represent Team USA on the lanes for the first time.
“As soon as you put that Team USA jersey on, it’s a very special feeling because you’re not just representing yourself; you’re representing something much bigger,” Ausec said. “You’re representing your country, your family, your friends and everyone back home supporting you. It’s a very special feeling. To know that there is a medal coming home with both of us, Jodi (Woessner) and I, is truly amazing.”
Woessner’s sentiments were largely the same.
“Going into the last game, I was so far back that I didn’t even think I had an opportunity to advance, so I was just trying to throw good shots and learn for the rest of the events,” Woessner said. “Now, to know that I’m going to be taking home a medal, there are no words to describe it. Representing your country is the highest honor.”
Ausec and Woessner will have a day off to relax and reflect on Saturday as the competition schedule shifts the focus to men’s singles qualifying.
Chris Barnes of Denton, Texas; Tom Hess of Granger, Iowa; John Janawicz of Winter Haven, Florida; and Parker Bohn III of Jackson, New Jersey, will all take to the lanes for Team USA.
Each will be looking to finish in the top four in order to join Ausec and Woessner in Tuesday’s singles semifinals.
If Hess is able to do so, he’ll keep his title defense hopes alive as he is the reining IBF World Senior Championships men’s singles champion – he won gold at the 2021 event in Dubai.
Men’s singles qualifying squads are scheduled to start at 8 a.m., 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Eastern.
Fans can watch livestreaming coverage and get updated standings by visiting worldseniors2023.com.
For more information on Senior Team USA, visit BOWL.com/Team-USA/Team-USA-Senior-Bowling.
Neither will have to wait long to capture her first medal as a member of Senior Team USA, however, as both advanced to the women’s singles medals round at the International Bowling Federation 2023 World Senior Championships, which is being contested at the sports complex in Cali, Colombia, through Dec. 14.
Ausec punched her ticket by firing scores of 204, 227, 214, 172, 201 and 222 to finish third with a six-game total of 1,240 (a 206.67 average) during Friday morning’s early qualifying block.
Woessner only broke 200 twice during the afternoon session, but a final-game 269 vaulted her up the standings and allowed her to secure the fourth and final advancing spot in the 44-player field with a 1,209 total (a 201.5 average).
Colombia’s Sandra Montealegre qualified first at 1,271 (211, 224, 202, 232, 244 and 158), and Italy’s Alessandra Morra was second with 1,254 (228, 223, 178, 196, 212 and 217).
Team USA’s Tish Johnson of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Sharon Powers of Lakewood, Colorado, finished in 11th and 12th place, respectively with scores of 1,125 and 1,120.
The women’s singles semifinals will kick off Tuesday morning at 8 a.m. Eastern with Woessner facing Montealegre and Ausec battling Morra.
Regardless of how those matches pan out, Ausec and Woessner are guaranteed no worse than a bronze-medal finish; however, should both win in the semifinals, they would face one another for the gold medal.
At the conclusion of Friday’s action, both athletes took a moment to discuss what those medals will mean to them as well as what it felt like to represent Team USA on the lanes for the first time.
“As soon as you put that Team USA jersey on, it’s a very special feeling because you’re not just representing yourself; you’re representing something much bigger,” Ausec said. “You’re representing your country, your family, your friends and everyone back home supporting you. It’s a very special feeling. To know that there is a medal coming home with both of us, Jodi (Woessner) and I, is truly amazing.”
Woessner’s sentiments were largely the same.
“Going into the last game, I was so far back that I didn’t even think I had an opportunity to advance, so I was just trying to throw good shots and learn for the rest of the events,” Woessner said. “Now, to know that I’m going to be taking home a medal, there are no words to describe it. Representing your country is the highest honor.”
Ausec and Woessner will have a day off to relax and reflect on Saturday as the competition schedule shifts the focus to men’s singles qualifying.
Chris Barnes of Denton, Texas; Tom Hess of Granger, Iowa; John Janawicz of Winter Haven, Florida; and Parker Bohn III of Jackson, New Jersey, will all take to the lanes for Team USA.
Each will be looking to finish in the top four in order to join Ausec and Woessner in Tuesday’s singles semifinals.
If Hess is able to do so, he’ll keep his title defense hopes alive as he is the reining IBF World Senior Championships men’s singles champion – he won gold at the 2021 event in Dubai.
Men’s singles qualifying squads are scheduled to start at 8 a.m., 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Eastern.
Fans can watch livestreaming coverage and get updated standings by visiting worldseniors2023.com.
For more information on Senior Team USA, visit BOWL.com/Team-USA/Team-USA-Senior-Bowling.