Koreans reign supreme in doubles

Korean bowlers dominated the doubles at the World Tenpin Bowling Association World Women's Championships.

They followed a very simple strategy at Cashman Center on Wednesday and their efforts paid off as they dominated the doubles competition to earn the top two seeds for Thursday night's semifinals.

The bowlers depended on each other, as well as their coaches and teammates, for advice and guidance and chose to focus on the frame at hand, rather than watch the scoreboards around them.

Hong Su-Yeon proved how focused she was when she stepped up and delivered the two strikes she needed in her final frame to move her, and Son Yun-Hee, past their teammates, Hwang Sun-Ok and Gang Hye-Eun, who held the lead since the first of the day's three squads.

Hong and Son finished the six-game block with a 2,616 total, just three pins better than Hwang and Gang (2,613).

"I feel very happy right now," Hong said. "I believe in my partner and our teamwork, and we are excited about tomorrow."

Denmark's Anne Gales and Rikke Rasmussen, who made a late charge at Hwang and Gang on the morning squad, earned the No. 3 seed with 2,608, while Australia's Carol Gianotti and Ann Maree Putney closed with a 492 game to grab the last spot in the semifinals. The Australians finished with 2,570, just one pin ahead of Denmark's Mai Ginge Jensen and Kamilla Kjeldsen.

Representatives from 45 countries all rolled six qualifying games on the tournament's medium pattern (WTBA Athens, 40 feet) Wednesday, and the top four pairs overall advanced to the semifinals, which will be held Thursday at 10 p.m. EDT.

Hong and Son will take on Gianotti and Putney, while Hwang and Gang meet Gales and Rasmussen for a spot in the final. The semifinal winners will battle for the gold medal, and the losers will settle for bronze.

Also during the day's opening squad, Colombia's Maria Jose Rodriguez rolled the first perfect game of this year's event and the fourth in tournament history. She finished the day with a 1,263 set and teamed up with Alejandra Mora for a 2,377 doubles total, which puts them in a tie for 43rd place.

The Team USA women struggled Wednesday with Lynda Barnes and Kim Terrell-Kearney leading the group with a 2,528 total and 11th place finish.
Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, who was celebrating her birthday, and hometown favorite Wendy Macpherson of nearby Henderson, Nev., finished 12th with 2,526, while Liz Johnson and Stefanie Nation combined for 2,456 and finished 22nd. Nation is the top seed heading into the Thursday's singles semifinals.

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.

Rasmussen set the all-events pace with a 2,630 total for 12 games, but is followed closely by Sweden's Helen Johnsson (2,629) and Jensen (2,602).
After 24 games, the top 16 players in the all-events standings will advance to Masters competition, which is scheduled for Sunday morning.

Competition continues Thursday with two squads of trios beginning at noon EDT. Singles semifinal and final action kicks off at 8:30 p.m. EDT and will be followed by the doubles semifinals and finals.