Korea ends World Youth Championships with gold

HELSINKI, Finland - Korea capped off a dominating tournament by winning the boys and girls gold medals in Masters match play Sunday as the 2010 World Tenpin Bowling Association World Youth Championships came to a close.

Korea's Yeon-Ju Kim defeated Colombia's Laura Fonnegra, 3-2, in the best-of-five games girls championship match, while Ju-Young Kim defeated countryman Seung-Hyeon Shin, 3-1, in the boys final to give Korea the gold and silver.

In the girls final, Yeon-Ju dropped the first two games to Fonnegra, 222-186 and 256-182, before coming back to win the last three games 234-206, 216-200 and 268-246.

Ju-Young lost the first game in the boys championship match 224-211 but took the title by winning the next three games, 194-187, 247-221 and 245-215.

To have a shot at the gold medal, Fonnegra swept Moon-Jeong Kim of Korea, 3-0, while Yeon-Ju took down Carmen Haandrikman of the Netherlands, 3-2. In the boys semifinals, Ju-Young defeated Korean Jong-Woo Park, 3-2, while Seung-Hyeon knocked off Latvia's Daniels Vezis, 3-2. The semifinals losers shared the bronze medals.

The Masters medals brought the Korean's medal tally to 13. They won six gold medals, two silver and five bronze.

After winning just two medals in each of the past two World Youth Championships, the United States came away with five total medals in Helsinki.

The Americans earned gold medals in boys doubles (Andrew Koff and Craig Hanson) and boys all-events (Koff), while also taking silver medals in boys doubles (Devin Bidwell and Jake Peters), boys team and girls singles (Brittni Hamilton).

A field of 46 countries competed in the World Youth Championships for medals in five events - singles, doubles, team, all-events and Masters match-play.

2010 WTBA WORLD YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Tali Bowl, Helsinki, Finland
Sunday's Results

BOYS MASTERS
(Best-of-five matches)

CHAMPIONSHIP
(Winner takes gold; loser earns silver)


Ju-Young Kim, Korea def. Seung-Hyeon Shin, Korea, 3-1

SEMIFINALS
(Losers share bronze medal)


Ju-Young Kim, Korea def. Jong-Woo Park, Korea, 3-2
Seung-Hyeon Shin, Korea def. Daniels Vezis, Latvia, 3-2


GIRLS MASTERS
(Best-of-five matches)

CHAMPIONSHIP
(Winner takes gold; loser earns silver)


Yeon-Ju Kim, Korea def. Laura Fonnegra, Colombia, 3-2

SEMIFINALS
(Losers share bronze medal)


Laura Fonnegra, Colombia def. Moon-Jeong Kim, Korea, 3-0
Yeon-Ju Kim, Korea def. Carmen Haandrikman, Netherlands, 3-2