Malaysia claims singles gold
September 04, 2011
WATCH:
Semifinals and finals
RESULTS: Singles
HONG KONG - Malaysia's Jacqueline Sijore took the singles gold medal Sunday in the opening event of the 2011 World Tenpin Bowling Association World Women's Championships.
The 19-year-old Sijore defeated Korea's Son Yun-Hee, 266-217, in the one-game gold-medal match at Hong Kong Bowling City that was broadcast live on BOWL.com. Shannon O'Keefe of Arlington, Texas, was the high U.S. finisher, ending in a tie for seventh place.
"I'm speechless, happy and honored to win for my country," Sijore said. "This means a lot for me, my country and my team. It signifies we have a good chance to win more medals in the coming days."
Sijore finished the six-game qualification process in fourth place, earning the final spot in the semifinals and had to take on top seed Shayna Ng of Singapore, who set a World Championships qualifying record with 1,601, an average of 266.83.
In the semifinals, Sijore took down Ng, 246-214, while Son knocked off Denmark's Mai Ginge Jensen, 279-268. The semifinal losers shared the bronze medal.
The Americans entered the singles event as the two-time defending world champion, with O'Keefe taking the title in 2007 and Stefanie Nation of Grand Prairie, Texas, winning in 2009. However, none of the Team USA members made it into the semifinals on the high scoring Paris lane condition.
O'Keefe was the high U.S. finisher with a six-game total of 1,441, which was good enough for a tie for seventh place. Shannon Pluhowsky of Kettering, Ohio, and Kelly Kulick of Union, N.J., finished tied for 25th place with 1,376, while Liz Johnson was 27th with 1,372. Carolyn Dorin-Ballard of Keller, Texas, was 34th with 1,354, while Nation finished in a tie for 48th place with 1,327.
The only excitement for the U.S. team in Sunday morning's final qualifying squad came during the first game of the day when Kulick rolled the tournament's first and only 300 game thus far.
Action now shifts to the doubles event, which beings with qualifying Monday. Johnson and Pluhowsky will bowl on the opening qualifying squad, while Kulick and Dorin-Ballard will bowl Monday afternoon. O'Keefe and Nation will compete on the third and final qualifying squad Tuesday morning.
The 2011 World Women's Championships features 171 bowlers from 33 countries. The teams are competing in six disciplines - doubles, trios, team, singles, all-events and match-play Masters.
Watch video of Kelly Kulick's 300 game here.
2011 WTBA WORLD WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Hong Kong Bowling City, Hong Kong
Sunday's Results
SINGLES SEMIFINALS
(Losers share bronze medal)
(4) Jacqueline Sijore, Malaysia, def. Shayna Ng, Singapore, 246-214
(2) Son Yun-Hee, Korea, def. Mai Ginge Jensen, Denmark, 279-268
SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP
(Winner earns gold, loser takes silver)
Sijore def. Son, 266-217
RESULTS: Singles
HONG KONG - Malaysia's Jacqueline Sijore took the singles gold medal Sunday in the opening event of the 2011 World Tenpin Bowling Association World Women's Championships.
The 19-year-old Sijore defeated Korea's Son Yun-Hee, 266-217, in the one-game gold-medal match at Hong Kong Bowling City that was broadcast live on BOWL.com. Shannon O'Keefe of Arlington, Texas, was the high U.S. finisher, ending in a tie for seventh place.
"I'm speechless, happy and honored to win for my country," Sijore said. "This means a lot for me, my country and my team. It signifies we have a good chance to win more medals in the coming days."
Sijore finished the six-game qualification process in fourth place, earning the final spot in the semifinals and had to take on top seed Shayna Ng of Singapore, who set a World Championships qualifying record with 1,601, an average of 266.83.
In the semifinals, Sijore took down Ng, 246-214, while Son knocked off Denmark's Mai Ginge Jensen, 279-268. The semifinal losers shared the bronze medal.
The Americans entered the singles event as the two-time defending world champion, with O'Keefe taking the title in 2007 and Stefanie Nation of Grand Prairie, Texas, winning in 2009. However, none of the Team USA members made it into the semifinals on the high scoring Paris lane condition.
O'Keefe was the high U.S. finisher with a six-game total of 1,441, which was good enough for a tie for seventh place. Shannon Pluhowsky of Kettering, Ohio, and Kelly Kulick of Union, N.J., finished tied for 25th place with 1,376, while Liz Johnson was 27th with 1,372. Carolyn Dorin-Ballard of Keller, Texas, was 34th with 1,354, while Nation finished in a tie for 48th place with 1,327.
The only excitement for the U.S. team in Sunday morning's final qualifying squad came during the first game of the day when Kulick rolled the tournament's first and only 300 game thus far.
Action now shifts to the doubles event, which beings with qualifying Monday. Johnson and Pluhowsky will bowl on the opening qualifying squad, while Kulick and Dorin-Ballard will bowl Monday afternoon. O'Keefe and Nation will compete on the third and final qualifying squad Tuesday morning.
The 2011 World Women's Championships features 171 bowlers from 33 countries. The teams are competing in six disciplines - doubles, trios, team, singles, all-events and match-play Masters.
Watch video of Kelly Kulick's 300 game here.
2011 WTBA WORLD WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Hong Kong Bowling City, Hong Kong
Sunday's Results
SINGLES SEMIFINALS
(Losers share bronze medal)
(4) Jacqueline Sijore, Malaysia, def. Shayna Ng, Singapore, 246-214
(2) Son Yun-Hee, Korea, def. Mai Ginge Jensen, Denmark, 279-268
SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP
(Winner earns gold, loser takes silver)
Sijore def. Son, 266-217