Stefanie Nation: Singles Gold
July 30, 2009
LAS VEGAS - Team USA's Stefanie Nation claimed the first gold medal of the 2009 World Tenpin Bowling Association World Women's Championships on Thursday night and Hwang Sun-Ok and Gang Hye-Eun of Korea followed suit with doubles gold shortly after.
Nation topped Mexico's Sandra Gongora, 167-131, at Cashman Center to defend the title won by her Team USA teammate Shannon O'Keefe at the 2007 WTBA World Women's Championships in Monterrey, Mexico.
Gongora, who earned her way into the championship match with a 258-209 semifinal win over Denmark's Anja Ginge Jensen, quickly lost her momentum and left three washouts and three splits in the loss to Nation.
"All it comes down to is making good shots because I can't control what my opponent is doing," said Nation, who was the top seed after six qualifying games and defeated Finland's Krista Pollanen, 220-195, in the semifinals. "You never know what's going to happen, so you have to stay focused and aggressive. It was a funky pair, and neither of us could really get anything going. I was fortunate to come out ahead."
Nation became just the third American woman to claim singles gold at the World Women's Championships, joining O'Keefe and Kelly Kulick (1999). Jensen and Pollanen each earned bronze medals Thursday.
"The feeling is incredible, but I'm really at a loss for words right now," said Nation, who earned silver medals in team at the World Championships in 2005 and 2007. "I don't know if it will sink in until I hear the national anthem, but right now, it feels unbelievable."
In the doubles action, Hwang and Gang defeated Australia's Carol Gianotti and Ann Maree Putney, 458-368, to win the gold medal. They qualified second behind their teammates Hong Su-Yeon and Son Yun-Hee and beat Anne Gales and Rikke Rasmussen of Denmark, 484-386, to earn a spot in the championship game. Gianotti and Putney topped Hong and Son, 417-409, for their place in the finale.
"To win this event brings us great pleasure," said Gang, who along with Hwang, has had previous success at the Asian Games. "We are thankful for the support of so many people. We got here with great coaching and a lot of hard work."
Competition continues Friday with the final three games of trios.
This year's tournament marks the first time professionals are allowed to compete at the World Women's Championships, and competitors will compete in singles, doubles, trios, team and Masters competition before the event concludes Sunday. Medals also will be awarded for all-events.
Through 15 games, Guerrero is the all-events leader with 3,312. Rasmussen is second with 3,306, and Sweden's Helen Johnsson is third with 3,273. Nation is fourth with 3,262.
After 24 games, the top 16 players in the all-events standings will advance to Masters competition, which is scheduled for Sunday morning.
USBC plans to live stream portions of the event on bowl.com, and bowling fans around the world will be able to watch the finals and select semifinals.
2009 WTBA WORLD WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIPS (at Cashman Center, Las Vegas)
Thursday's Results
SINGLES
Gold medal: Stefanie Nation, United States
Silver medal: Sandra Gongora, Mexico
Bronze medal: Anja Ginge Jensen, Denmark; Krista Pollanen, Finland
Semifinals
(1) Stefanie Nation, United States def. (4) Krista Pollanen, Finland, 220-195
(2) Sandra Gongora, Mexico def. Anja Ginge Jensen, Denmark, 258-209
Final
(1) Nation def. Gongora, 167-131
DOUBLES
Gold medal: Korea (Hwang Sun-Ok/Gang Hye-Eun)
Silver medal: Australia (Carol Gianotti/Ann Maree Putney)
Bronze medal: Korea (Hong Su-Yeon/Son Yun-Hee); Denmark (Anne Gales/Rikke Rasmussen)
Semifinals
(4) Carol Gianotti/Ann Maree Putney, Australia def. Hong Su-Yeon/Son Yun-Hee, Korea, 417-409
(2) Hwang Sun-Ok/Gang Hye-Eun, Korea def. Anne Gales/Rikke Rasmussen, Denmark, 484-386
Final
(2) Hwang/Gang def. Gianotti/Putney, 458-368
TRIOS
(Three games; top four after six games advance to semifinals)
1, Colombia (Paola Gomez, Clara Guerrero, Rocio Restrepo), 1,960
2, United States (Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Liz Johnson, Stefanie Nation), 1,942
3, Korea (Gang Hye-Eun, Hwang Sun-Ok, Kim Yeau-Jin), 1,930
4, Denmark (Britt Brondsted, Anja Ginge Jensen, Mai Ginge Jensen), 1,929
5, England (Jo Cundy, Lisa John, Hayley White), 1,927
6, Chinese Taipei (Yang Hao-Ting, Tsai Hsin-Yi, Tang Ya-Chun), 1,908
7, Hong Kong (Chan Shuk Han, Vanessa Fung, Milki Ng), 1,901
8, Japan (Ayano Katai, Maki Nakano, Nao Ohishi), 1,898
9, Sweden (Nina Flack, Helen Johnsson, Veronica Lantto), 1,893
10, Chinese Taipei (Chein Hsiu-Lan, Li Shiau-Ping, Pan Yu-Fen), 1,888
ALL-EVENTS
(15 games; top 16 after 24 games advance to Masters)
1, Clara Guerrero, Colombia, 3,312
2, Rikke Rasmussen, Denmark, 3,306
3, Helen Johnsson, Sweden, 3,273
4, Stefanie Nation, United States, 3,262
5, Britt Brondsted, Denmark, 3,233
6, Mai Ginge Jensen, Denmark, 3,229
7, Hwang Sun-Ok, Korea, 3,223
T8, Shalin Zulkifli, Malaysia, 3,217
T8, Liz Johnson, United States, 3,217
10, Son Yun-Hee, Korea, 3,214
Nation topped Mexico's Sandra Gongora, 167-131, at Cashman Center to defend the title won by her Team USA teammate Shannon O'Keefe at the 2007 WTBA World Women's Championships in Monterrey, Mexico.
Gongora, who earned her way into the championship match with a 258-209 semifinal win over Denmark's Anja Ginge Jensen, quickly lost her momentum and left three washouts and three splits in the loss to Nation.
"All it comes down to is making good shots because I can't control what my opponent is doing," said Nation, who was the top seed after six qualifying games and defeated Finland's Krista Pollanen, 220-195, in the semifinals. "You never know what's going to happen, so you have to stay focused and aggressive. It was a funky pair, and neither of us could really get anything going. I was fortunate to come out ahead."
Nation became just the third American woman to claim singles gold at the World Women's Championships, joining O'Keefe and Kelly Kulick (1999). Jensen and Pollanen each earned bronze medals Thursday.
"The feeling is incredible, but I'm really at a loss for words right now," said Nation, who earned silver medals in team at the World Championships in 2005 and 2007. "I don't know if it will sink in until I hear the national anthem, but right now, it feels unbelievable."
In the doubles action, Hwang and Gang defeated Australia's Carol Gianotti and Ann Maree Putney, 458-368, to win the gold medal. They qualified second behind their teammates Hong Su-Yeon and Son Yun-Hee and beat Anne Gales and Rikke Rasmussen of Denmark, 484-386, to earn a spot in the championship game. Gianotti and Putney topped Hong and Son, 417-409, for their place in the finale.
"To win this event brings us great pleasure," said Gang, who along with Hwang, has had previous success at the Asian Games. "We are thankful for the support of so many people. We got here with great coaching and a lot of hard work."
Competition continues Friday with the final three games of trios.
This year's tournament marks the first time professionals are allowed to compete at the World Women's Championships, and competitors will compete in singles, doubles, trios, team and Masters competition before the event concludes Sunday. Medals also will be awarded for all-events.
Through 15 games, Guerrero is the all-events leader with 3,312. Rasmussen is second with 3,306, and Sweden's Helen Johnsson is third with 3,273. Nation is fourth with 3,262.
After 24 games, the top 16 players in the all-events standings will advance to Masters competition, which is scheduled for Sunday morning.
USBC plans to live stream portions of the event on bowl.com, and bowling fans around the world will be able to watch the finals and select semifinals.
2009 WTBA WORLD WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIPS (at Cashman Center, Las Vegas)
Thursday's Results
SINGLES
Gold medal: Stefanie Nation, United States
Silver medal: Sandra Gongora, Mexico
Bronze medal: Anja Ginge Jensen, Denmark; Krista Pollanen, Finland
Semifinals
(1) Stefanie Nation, United States def. (4) Krista Pollanen, Finland, 220-195
(2) Sandra Gongora, Mexico def. Anja Ginge Jensen, Denmark, 258-209
Final
(1) Nation def. Gongora, 167-131
DOUBLES
Gold medal: Korea (Hwang Sun-Ok/Gang Hye-Eun)
Silver medal: Australia (Carol Gianotti/Ann Maree Putney)
Bronze medal: Korea (Hong Su-Yeon/Son Yun-Hee); Denmark (Anne Gales/Rikke Rasmussen)
Semifinals
(4) Carol Gianotti/Ann Maree Putney, Australia def. Hong Su-Yeon/Son Yun-Hee, Korea, 417-409
(2) Hwang Sun-Ok/Gang Hye-Eun, Korea def. Anne Gales/Rikke Rasmussen, Denmark, 484-386
Final
(2) Hwang/Gang def. Gianotti/Putney, 458-368
TRIOS
(Three games; top four after six games advance to semifinals)
1, Colombia (Paola Gomez, Clara Guerrero, Rocio Restrepo), 1,960
2, United States (Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Liz Johnson, Stefanie Nation), 1,942
3, Korea (Gang Hye-Eun, Hwang Sun-Ok, Kim Yeau-Jin), 1,930
4, Denmark (Britt Brondsted, Anja Ginge Jensen, Mai Ginge Jensen), 1,929
5, England (Jo Cundy, Lisa John, Hayley White), 1,927
6, Chinese Taipei (Yang Hao-Ting, Tsai Hsin-Yi, Tang Ya-Chun), 1,908
7, Hong Kong (Chan Shuk Han, Vanessa Fung, Milki Ng), 1,901
8, Japan (Ayano Katai, Maki Nakano, Nao Ohishi), 1,898
9, Sweden (Nina Flack, Helen Johnsson, Veronica Lantto), 1,893
10, Chinese Taipei (Chein Hsiu-Lan, Li Shiau-Ping, Pan Yu-Fen), 1,888
ALL-EVENTS
(15 games; top 16 after 24 games advance to Masters)
1, Clara Guerrero, Colombia, 3,312
2, Rikke Rasmussen, Denmark, 3,306
3, Helen Johnsson, Sweden, 3,273
4, Stefanie Nation, United States, 3,262
5, Britt Brondsted, Denmark, 3,233
6, Mai Ginge Jensen, Denmark, 3,229
7, Hwang Sun-Ok, Korea, 3,223
T8, Shalin Zulkifli, Malaysia, 3,217
T8, Liz Johnson, United States, 3,217
10, Son Yun-Hee, Korea, 3,214