Team USA wins doubles gold at WWC
September 06, 2011
WATCH:
Doubles semifinals and finals
RESULTS: Click here
HONG KONG - Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, N.Y., and Shannon Pluhowsky of Kettering, Ohio, gave the United States its first doubles gold medal in 24 years Tuesday at the 2011 World Tenpin Bowling Congress World Women's Championships.
Johnson and Pluhowsky defeated Singapore's New Hui Fen and Jazreel Tan, 453-392, at Hong Kong Bowling City to claim the world title. The last time the United States won the doubles gold was in 1987 in Helsinki, Finland, when Cora Fiebig and Kathy Wodka brought home the title.
In the gold-medal match, Johnson carried the U.S. duo with a 247 game, while Pluhowsky totaled 206. Tan led Singapore with 215, while New shot 177.
"Toward the end of the match my game was a bit shaky but Liz stayed strong," Pluhowsky said. "We helped each other out and didn't focus on who we were bowling. It's just always more fun when you are bowling and winning with your friends than by yourself."
In the semifinals, Johnson and Pluhowsky took down their teammates Carolyn Dorin-Ballard of Keller, Texas, and Kelly Kulick of Union, N.J., 455-419, while Singapore defeated Denmark's Kamilla Kjeldsen and Mai Ginge Jensen, 454-391. The semifinals losers shared the bronze medal.
"It's always humbling and it makes you so proud to hear your national anthem play in a tournament like this," Johnson said. "Today it wasn't about Shannon and Liz winning the gold medal; it was about Team USA winning the gold medal. Whether its singles, doubles or any event, it's always about winning for the team."
The action now shifts to the trios event, which begins Wednesday with the first three games of qualifying on the Seoul lane condition. Team USA's Kulick, Dorin-Ballard and Johnson will join forces, while Pluhowsky will team up with Stefanie Nation of Grand Prairie, Texas, and Shannon O'Keefe of Arlington, Texas.
With 12 of 24 games completed in the all-events race, Kulick leads the U.S. effort and sits in fourth place overall with 2,849, an average of 237.42. Dorin-Ballard is seventh with 2,782, Pluhowsky is ninth with 2,777 and Johnson is 13th at 2,751.
The top 16 players in the all-events standings after 24 games advance to Sunday's final event, the match-play Masters. O'Keefe currently sits outside the cut number and is 18th with 2,711. Nation is 65th at 2,540.
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.
2011 WTBA WORLD WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Hong Kong Bowling City, Hong Kong
Tuesday's Results
DOUBLES SEMIFINALS
(Losers share bronze medal)
(4) Shannon Pluhowsky/Liz Johnson, United States def. (1) Carolyn Dorin-Ballard/Kelly Kulick, United States, 455-419
(3) New Hui Fen/Jazreel Tan, Singapore def. Kamilla Kjeldsen/Mai Ginge Jensen, Denmark, 454-391
DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP
(Winner earns gold, loser takes silver)
Pluhowsky/Johnson def. New/Tan, 453-392
RESULTS: Click here
HONG KONG - Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, N.Y., and Shannon Pluhowsky of Kettering, Ohio, gave the United States its first doubles gold medal in 24 years Tuesday at the 2011 World Tenpin Bowling Congress World Women's Championships.
Johnson and Pluhowsky defeated Singapore's New Hui Fen and Jazreel Tan, 453-392, at Hong Kong Bowling City to claim the world title. The last time the United States won the doubles gold was in 1987 in Helsinki, Finland, when Cora Fiebig and Kathy Wodka brought home the title.In the gold-medal match, Johnson carried the U.S. duo with a 247 game, while Pluhowsky totaled 206. Tan led Singapore with 215, while New shot 177.
"Toward the end of the match my game was a bit shaky but Liz stayed strong," Pluhowsky said. "We helped each other out and didn't focus on who we were bowling. It's just always more fun when you are bowling and winning with your friends than by yourself."
In the semifinals, Johnson and Pluhowsky took down their teammates Carolyn Dorin-Ballard of Keller, Texas, and Kelly Kulick of Union, N.J., 455-419, while Singapore defeated Denmark's Kamilla Kjeldsen and Mai Ginge Jensen, 454-391. The semifinals losers shared the bronze medal.
"It's always humbling and it makes you so proud to hear your national anthem play in a tournament like this," Johnson said. "Today it wasn't about Shannon and Liz winning the gold medal; it was about Team USA winning the gold medal. Whether its singles, doubles or any event, it's always about winning for the team."
The action now shifts to the trios event, which begins Wednesday with the first three games of qualifying on the Seoul lane condition. Team USA's Kulick, Dorin-Ballard and Johnson will join forces, while Pluhowsky will team up with Stefanie Nation of Grand Prairie, Texas, and Shannon O'Keefe of Arlington, Texas.
With 12 of 24 games completed in the all-events race, Kulick leads the U.S. effort and sits in fourth place overall with 2,849, an average of 237.42. Dorin-Ballard is seventh with 2,782, Pluhowsky is ninth with 2,777 and Johnson is 13th at 2,751.
The top 16 players in the all-events standings after 24 games advance to Sunday's final event, the match-play Masters. O'Keefe currently sits outside the cut number and is 18th with 2,711. Nation is 65th at 2,540.
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.
2011 WTBA WORLD WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Hong Kong Bowling City, Hong Kong
Tuesday's Results
DOUBLES SEMIFINALS
(Losers share bronze medal)
(4) Shannon Pluhowsky/Liz Johnson, United States def. (1) Carolyn Dorin-Ballard/Kelly Kulick, United States, 455-419
(3) New Hui Fen/Jazreel Tan, Singapore def. Kamilla Kjeldsen/Mai Ginge Jensen, Denmark, 454-391
DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP
(Winner earns gold, loser takes silver)
Pluhowsky/Johnson def. New/Tan, 453-392