WORLD YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS

SIMONSEN, ROSLAN WIN MASTERS AT 2016 WORLD YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS

LINCOLN, Neb. – Junior Team USA’s Anthony Simonsen and Malaysia’s Natasha Roslan capped an exciting week at the 2016 World Bowling Youth Championships by capturing the Masters gold medals Tuesday at Sun Valley Lanes.

Simonsen, who made his Junior Team USA debut, collected his third gold medal of the event by defeating all-events gold medalist Pontus Andersson of Sweden, 2-0, in the best-of-three championship match, while Roslan defeated Singapore’s Amabel Chua in the deciding game, 227-187, to win the match, 2-1.

Andersson and Chua earned silver medals for their performances.

Simonsen’s title tilt against Andersson started with each bowler firing five strikes in the first six frames of the opening game. The momentum turned in the seventh frame when Andersson left a 2-8-10 split and was unable to convert, giving Simonsen the edge. He remained clean to take the advantage with a 245-213 win.

In Game 2, Simonsen started strong again with four strikes in the first five frames, while Andersson left another 2-8-10 in the fifth frame to fall behind. An 8-10 split in the eighth frame ended any chance of a comeback for Andersson as Simonsen cruised to a 236-180 win to secure the title, 2-0.

“I think this week will be at the top of the list of memories for a long time,” said Simonsen, who also won gold in doubles with Wesley Low Jr. and helped the United States to a third consecutive win in the team event. “I didn’t start the week bowling very well in singles, but I was able to get myself together mentally, and a little physically, to have a great week. To go out and win medals for your country, while wearing USA on your back, is a great feeling. This means everything.”

To advance to the title match, Simonsen defeated Low in a back-and-forth semifinal, 2-1. Low had the opportunity to double in the 10th frame of the deciding game to return to the title match for the second consecutive World Youth Championships, but he left a 6 pin to lose the game, 224-217. Simonsen won the first game 235-192, and Low won the second 231-224.

Low won the silver medal in Masters at the 2014 World Youth Championships in Hong Kong.

“That match was a rollercoaster,” said Simonsen, the 2016 United States Bowling Congress Masters champion. “I think Wesley out-bowled me, but sometimes it’s how the pins fall that day. I guess today was my day.”

Andersson earned his spot in the title match by defeating Malaysia’s Tun Hakim Tun Hasnul Azam, 2-0 (233-161, 221-205). Low and Tun Hasnul Azam earned bronze medals.

The girls’ title match saw both Roslan and Chua struggle to get going on the left lane in the opening game, but Roslan prevailed to secure the advantage, 190-158.

The tide turned for both competitors in Game 2 as the strikes began to add up, and Chua extended the match by delivering a double in the 10th to win, 245-236.

The striking continued into the finale, but open frames in the sixth, eighth and ninth frames quickly erased a lead for Chua, earned with a run of four consecutive strikes early in the game. Roslan stayed clean on her way to a 227-187 victory.

“I’m just so happy,” Roslan said. “This is my last time competing in the World Youth Championships, so this is a great win for me. I just tried to throw good shots and do my best.”

Roslan swept defending Masters champion Mirai Ishimoto of Japan, 2-0 (241-218, 248-221), to advance to the title match, while Chua won her semifinal match against Junior Team USA’s Gazmine Mason, 2-0 (196-187, 201-198). Ishimoto and Mason earned bronze medals for their performances.

The United States led the way in the medal count at the 2016 World Youth Championships, collecting six gold medals, three silver medals and four bronze medals for a total of 13 of the 39 handed out at Sun Valley Lanes this week.

The 2016 World Youth Championships featured more than 200 athletes from 37 countries competing for medals in singles, doubles, team, all-events and Masters.

For complete results from the 2016 World Youth Championships, visit 2016wyc.worldbowling.org.

United States Bowling Congress
The United States Bowling Congress serves as the national governing body of bowling as recognized by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). USBC conducts championship events nationwide including the largest participation sporting events in the world – the USBC Open and Women’s Championships – and professional events such as the USBC Masters and USBC Queens.

Founded in 1895, today USBC and its 2,500 state and local associations proudly serve more than a million members. USBC is headquartered in Arlington, Texas, working toward a future for the sport. The online home for USBC is BOWL.com.

2016 WORLD BOWLING YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Sun Valley Lanes, Lincoln, Neb.
Tuesday’s Results

MASTERS

GIRLS

STEP 3
(Winner advances, loser is eliminated from Masters competition)

Gazmine Mason, United States, def. Hong Sunhwa, Korea, 2-0 (257-213, 197-164)
Amabel Chua, Singapore, def. Victoria Chin, Malaysia, 2-1 (212-210, 217-223, 192-185)
Natasha Roslan, Malaysia, def. Lee Yeongseung, Korea, 2-1 (215-247, 222-205, 246-235)
Mirai Ishimoto, Japan, def. Julia Bond, United States, 2-1 (236-192, 202-218, 195-194)

SEMIFINALS
(Winner advances to finals, losers earn bronze medal)

Chua def. Mason, 2-0 (196-187, 201-198)
Roslan def. Ishimoto, 2-0 (241-218, 248-221)

FINALS
(Winner earns gold medal, loser earns silver medal)

Roslan def. Chua, 2-1 (190-158, 236-245, 227-187)


BOYS

STEP 3
(Winner advances, loser is eliminated from Masters competition)

Pontus Andersson, Sweden, def. Michael Tang, United States, 2-1 (182-199, 237-182, 226-193)
Wesley Low Jr., United States, def. Rafiq Ismail, Malaysia, 2-0 (275-215, 219-213)
Tun Hakim Tun Hasnul Azam, Malaysia, def. Takuya Miyazawa, Japan, 2-0 (209-188, 234-208)
Anthony Simonsen, United States, def. Niko Oksanen, Finland, 2-1 (201-223, 269-237, 219-167)

SEMIFINALS
(Winner advances to finals, losers earn bronze medal)

Andersson def. Tun Hasnul Azam, 2-0 (233-161, 221-205)
Simonsen def. Low, 2-1 (235-192, 224-231, 224-217)

FINALS
(Winner earns gold medal, loser earns silver medal)

Simonsen def. Andersson, 2-0 (245-213, 236-180)