Time for golden dreams approaches

The next two days will see Australia’s Gold Coast again reverberate to the excited strains of an avid bowls community ready to enjoy all the action as the grand finale of a two sensational weeks of international competition reaches its crescendo.

Over the past three days the 2019 Asia Pacific Championships – featuring nineteen bowling nations from Asian and Oceanic region at three host clubs around the Queensland holiday playground – Musgrave Hill, Club Helensvale and Broadbeach – has gone through the qualifying stanza in men’s singles and fours, along with women’s pairs and triples.

Tomorrow and Friday will be rate 10 out of 10 on the exhilaration scale when many of the game’s greatest players strut their stuff – tomorrow’s elimination finals are at Broadbeach as are the gold medal play-offs on Friday.

In the meantime, let’s dip our lids to the Lawn Bowls Association of Thailand who have been in the bowls wilderness for many years, but are going through an exciting renaissance thanks to the devotion of its true believers. Appointing outstanding Aussie coach Danny Simmons was a master stroke – in just five weeks he has moulded the national side into a very competitive unit indeed. So much so that the Thai’s have qualified for seven of a possible eight disciplines in next year’s world championships –the first time for as long as most people can remember.

Tomorrow morning Canada takes on Hong Kong China and Malaysia plays Japan in men’s fours at 9.00am, with winners to play Australia and New Zealand respectively at 1.00pm.

Similarly, Hong Kong China plays New Zealand along with Papua New Guinea against India in women’s pairs at 9.00am, with the winners to take on Australia and Malaysia teams in the semi finals at 1.00pm.

Conversely, it’s Philippines against Malaysia and New Zealand versus Canada in the morning women’s triples, with winners pitted against India and Australia respectively in the afternoon eliminators.

The blue ribbon men’s singles will see Ryan Bester (Canada) v Koko Ontong (Thailand) and Hizlee Rais (Malaysia) v Tony Cheung (Hong Kong China) at 9.00am – the winners playing Ray Pearse (Australia) and Shannon McIlroy (New Zealand) respectively in the afternoon.

Photo: Thailand coach Danny Simmons and his players after their superb world qualifying performance at the Asia Pacific Championships.

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2019 Asia Pacific Championships, Gold Coast, Australia

Day 8:

Men’s singles:

Sec.1: Rd.7: AUS (Ray Pearse) bt IND (Anand Nazary) 21-5, CAN (Ryan Bester) bt PNG (John Morgan) 21-20, MAS (Hizlee Rais) bt NFI (Teddy Evans) 21-13, PHI (Hommer Mercado) bt FIJ (Semesa Naiseruvati) 21-20, CHI (Ye Sui Ying) bt SIN (Matthew Ngui) 21-16. Rd.8: AUS bt NFI 21-9, FIJ bt CHI 21-18, PHI bt IND 21-15, CAN bt MAS 21-19, PNG bt SIN 21-10. Rd.9: AUS bt FIJ 21-13, CAN bt NFI 21-8, MAS bt IND 21-5, PNG bt CHI 21-13, PHI bt SIN 21-17.

Final standings: AUSTRALIA 24 points +73 shots, CAN 24 +66, MAS 21 +57, PNG 15 Sq, PHI 15 -14, IND 12 -1, NFI 9 -42, FIJ 6 -28, 6 -43, CHI 3 -68.

Sec.2: Rd.7: JPN (Hirokazu Mori) bt MAC (Ricky Poon) 21-16, NZL (Shannon McIlroy) bt BRU (Jaman Jamahat) 21-5, USA (Scott Roberts) bt THA (Koko Ontong) 21-19, NIU (Stan Tafatu) bt SAM (Avala Savaiinaea) 21-16. Rd.8: HKC (Tony Cheung) bt JPN 21-9, NZL bt MAC 21-9, THA bt BRU 21-12, NIU bt USA 21-16. Rd.9: HKC bt MAC 21-5, JPN bt BRU 21-9, NZL bt USA 21-10, THA bt SAM 21-2.

Final standings: NEW ZEALAND 24 points +100 shots, THA 18 +66, HKC 18 +43, USA 15 +29, NIU 15 -2, JPN 6 -48, SAM 6 -54, MAC 3 -67, BRU 3 -67.

Men’s fours:

Sec.1: Rd.7: NZL (Mike Kernaghan, Jamie Hill, Gary Lawson, Ali Forsyth) bt CAN (Rob Law, Pat Bird, Greg Wilson, Cameron Lefresne) 20-10, SAM (Iva Tiatia, Hans Junior Gabriel, Solomona Faamaoni, Fiu Peni Asi) bt PHI (Curte Guarin, Elmer Abatayo, Chris Dagpin Angelo Morales) 16-15, USA (Bill Brault, Aaron Zangl, Loran Dion, Neil Furman) bt THA (Naret Aiangetuen, Sonthi Manakitpaiboon, Patawee Montien, Thanakrit Thammasarn) 19-9, SIN (Anthony Loh, Melvin Tan, Heng Heck Pang, Bernard Foo) bt MAS (Soufi Rusli, Izzat Dzulkeple, Ijoi Redzuan, Fairul Muin) 13-9. Rd.8: PHI bt CHI (Mao Young Min, Meng Zhao Qian, Zhang Bao Cheng, Liu Guo Qiang) 23-4, MAS bt USA 19-10, THA bt SAM 19-9, NZL bt SIN 22-6. Rd.9: NZL bt CHI 20-3, CAN bt MAS 16-15, THA bt PHI 16-7, SIN bt USA 15-10.

Final standings: NEW ZEALAND 19 points +88 shots, MAS 16 +39, CAN 16 +18, THA 15 +26, PHI 10 +15, USA 9 -14, SIN 9 -44, SAM 7 -59, CHI 4 -69.

Sec.2: Rd.7: AUS (Barrie Lester, Aaron Teys, Nathan Rice, Aron Sherriff) bt JPN (Tomoyuki Tamachi, Jun Koyama, Hank Sato, Kenta Hasebe) 20-9, HKC (Imen Tang, Adrian Yau, Lyndon Sham, James Po) bt MAC (Alvin Leong, Johnny Ng, Chris Chiu, Eric Li) 18-17, PNG (Kenneth Ikrima, Gabby Simeon, Matu Bazo, Freddy Koesan) bt FIJ (Kushal Pillay, Rajnesh Prasad, Abdul Kalim, David Aitcheson) 15-6, IND (Navneet Singh, Sunil Bahadur, Mirdul Borgohain, Dinesh Kumar) bt NIU (Gregory Funaki, Bill Vakaafi Morufoou, Mark Blumsky, Dalton Tagelagi) 39-6. Rd.8: HKC bt NFI (John Christian, Barry Wilson, Matt Bigg, Ryan Dixon) 12-11, AUS bt MAC 22-7, IND bt FIJ 12-11, PNG bt JPN 10-9. Rd.9: AUS bt FIJ 20-5, NFI bt MAC 13-12, PNG bt NIU 28-5, HKC drew JPN 15-15.

Final standings: AUSTRALIA 24 points +128 shots, JPN 16 +34, HKC 16 +23, IND 15 +44, PNG 15 +16, NFI 9 -36, FIJ 6 -23, MAC 6 -46, NIU 0 -140.

Women’s pairs:

Sec.1: Rd.7: AUS (Lynsey Clarke, Kelsey Cottrell) bt SIN (Tammy Tham, Shermeen Lim) 22-11, NFI (Shae Wilson, Petal Jones) bt CHI (Liu Yuan Ying, Hu Wen Ya) 19-14, PNG (Piwen Karkar, Catherine Wimp) bt USA (Alexis Van Den Bos, Melanie Vizenor) 20-8. Rd.8: HKC (Gloria Ha, Helen Cheung) bt NFI 22-13, THA (Palita Gangur, Sue Bryant) bt USA 30-7, AUS bt CHI 36-5, SIN bt PNG 18-17. Rd.9: AUS bt USA 25-10, HKC bt CHI 37-7, NFI bt SIN 17-14,

Final standings: AUSTRALIA 18 points +86 shots, HKC 15 +38, PNG 15 +29, NFI 12 -17, THA 9 +26, SIN 9 +1, USA 6 -59, CHI 0 -104.

Sec.2: Rd.7: JPN (Keiko Kurohara, Midori Matsuoka) bt MAC (Kitty Chan, Pian Lai) 18-16, MAS (Nur Fidrah Noh, Siti Zalina Ahmad) bt FIJ (Loretta Kotoisuva, Sheryl Mar) 17-10, IND (Nayanmoni Saikia, Bongita Hazarika) bt NIU (Pauline Rex Blumsky, Joy Peyroux) 19-11, CAN (Joanna Cooper, Kelly McKerihen) bt PHI (Sonia Bruce, Ainie Knight) 20-16. Rd.8: PHI bt NZL (Kirsten Edwards, Jo Edwards) 16-14, FIJ bt MAC 25-5, MAS bt CAN 22-15, IND bt JPN 21-8. Rd.9: MAS bt JPN 19-11, NZL bt CAN 17-14, NIU bt MAC 17-10, PHI bt FIJ 17-14.

Final standings: MALAYSIA 21 points +66 shots, NZL 18 +91, IND 15 +56, FIJ 15 +25, PHI 15 +1, CAN 12 +7, JPN 6 -58, MAC 3 -78, NIU 3 -110.

Women’s triples:

Sec.1: Rd.7: CHI (Zheng Fang, Miao Xin Hong, Song Su Zhen) bt MAC (Hilda Tam, Bell Chan, Ivy Chui) 18-9, HKC (Cheryl Chan, Phyllis Wong, Angel So) bt PNG (Kila Walo, Melissa-Ju Carlo, Angela Simbinali) 27-8, PHI (Hazel Jagony, Ronalyn Greenlees, Rosita Bradborn) bt NFI (Vivian Bigg, Ester Sanchez, Carmen Anderson) 24-8, IND (Sarita Tirkey, Tania Choudhary, Rupa Rani Tirkey) bt JPN (Yukie Koyama, Yoko Goda, Hiroko Emura) 18-12, USA (Alice Birkinshaw, Janice Bell, Anne Nunes) drew NZL (Wendy Jensen, Katelyn Inch, Val Smith) 16-16. Rd.8: NZL bt HKC 27-8, NFI bt MAC 25-10, PHI bt USA 16-14, IND bt CHI 17-10, PNG bt JPN 18-15. Rd.9: IND bt PNG 15-12, JPN bt MAC 24-5, NZL bt NFI 17-13, PHI bt CHI 21-8, USA bt HKC 21-16.

Final standings: INDIA 24 points +55 shots, NZL 22 +104, PHI 21 +65, NFI 18 +15, CHI 15 +5, HKC 12 +6, USA 10 +4, PNG 6 -68, JPN 6 -77, MAC 0 -109.

Sec.2: Rd.7: AUS (Carla Krizanic, Natasha Scott, Bec Van Asch) bt BRU (Nafsiah Jamal, Dayang Muntol, Haja Muntol) 27-10, FIJ (Radhika Prasad, Doreen O’Connor, Litia Tikoisuva) bt MAS (Auni Kamis, Alyani Jamil, Azlina Arshad) 18-10, SAM (Niu-Imeleta Faauma, Palenate Taei, Feao Wright) bt NIU (Victoria Liumaihetau, Rosie Rex, Pilena Motufoou) 26-9, THA (Chamaaipron Kotchawong, Kannika Limwanich, Nannapat Tomak) bt SIN (Margaret Lim, Josephine Lim, May Lee) 22-11. Rd.8: CAN (Jackie Foster, Jordan Kos, Leanne Chinery) bt FIJ 21-9, AUS bt MAS 15-12, THA bt BRU 15-13, SAM bt SIN 18-15. Rd.9: AUS bt SIN 17-9, FIJ bt BRU 22-14, MAS bt CAN 25-9, THA bt NIU 29-6.

Final standings: AUSTRALIA 24 points +92 shots, CAN 18 +35, MAS 15 +82, THA 15 Sq, FIJ 12 +36, BRU 9 -14, SIN 6 -54, SAM 6 -63, NIU 3 -114.