5th November, Macau: Korea's Choi Jin A defeated top-seed, Kim Hyo Mi, 411-389 and Japan's Hirofumi Morimoto toppled Kang Hee Won of Korea, 443-432 to end the 4th East Asian Games Saturday evening.

Triple Gold medalist and second-seed, Choi Jin A of Korea built up a 38 pins lead against top-seed and compatriot, Kim Hyo Mi with a 229-191 win in the first of a two-game total pins stepladder match. Despite only knocking 182 in the second match while her opponent brought home 198, it was enough to win her first individual medal.

The champion had earlier ousted third-seed, Naoko Sekine of Japan, 258-215 to set up an all-Korean finale. Kim settled for the Silver medal despite leading all the way in the second block of the masters finals earlier.

The runner-up amassed a record-breaking 3957 over the grueiling 16-game match-play round-robin finals to take top spot ahead of Choi in second with 3867 and Naoko Sekine in third with 3793.

In the men's division, first block Masters final leader, Hirofumi Morimoto gave Japan their second Gold medal when the 28-year-old snatched victory over top-seed, Kang Hee Won, 443-432 in the two-game stepladder finals.

Morimoto showed his opponent a clean pair of heels by romping home, 246-209 to take the first match. Although his challenger fought back galantly with 223 in the second match against the champion's 197, the 37 pins cushion proved enough to seal the Gold.

The champion had disposed off All Events Gold medalist and third-seed, Choi Bok Eum, 279-226 in the first match to have a crack at the title.

The first block leader lost to lead to Kang with three games to go in today's second block and eventually finished second with 3927 to Kang's 4007. 18-year-old Choi came home third with 3909.

Korea emerged the Overall Champion with 10 Gold, 5 Silver, 8 Bronze medals and five 4th placings followed by Japan a distant second with 2 Gold, 4 Silver, 1 Bronze medal and three 4th placings. Korea also topped both the women's and men's medal tally.

Thirty-five women and fourty-seven men from eight East Asian countries competed in this year's championship held at the brand-new bowling center at the COTAI International Sports Complex.

Photos courtesy of www.east-asian-games2005.com.

4th November, Macau: Japan's Hirofumi Morimoto took pole position of the 4th East Asian Games Men's Masters first block finals which ended Friday afternoon.

Hong Kong's Wu Siu Hong had a cracking start to the 8-game Masters finals with the tournament's fourth perfect game but soon trailed Hirofumi Morimoto of Japan as the finals settled down.

Hirofumi took a 36-pin lead from game 2 onwards but lost it when Korea's Choi Jong In and Choi Bok Eum both traded for the lead in game 4 and 5. The 28-year-old Hirofumi posted a superb 277 to regain the lead and went on to end the first block with 2088.

Hirofumi, who a member of the Busan Asian Games Gold medal winning team, won 7 of the 8 matches to lead Choi Jong In in second with 2052 while Trios Silver medalist, Wu Siu Hong finished third with 2033.

A final 194 game by Choi Bok Eum saw the southpaw dropping to fourth with 2015 ahead of compatriot and two Gold medalist, Kang Hee Won in fifth position with 1999.

The men will continue their second block of 8 games over the Long oil condition on Saturday with the top 3 proceeding to the stepladder finals.

Photos courtesy of www.east-asian-games2005.com.

4th November, Macau: Korean women were a class above the rest as Kim Hyo Mi led a top 3 finish in the 4th East Asian Games first block Masters finals at the Sports Complex Bowling Center.

Kim, a Busan Asian Games Silver medalist, chalked up two back-to-back high game of 279 to comfortably lead the field of 16 finalist with a record-breaking 2109 over the 8-games first block finals.

The 22-year-old started the finals trailing Singles Gold medalist and compatriot, Gye Min Young by 10 pins despite scoring 269 in her first game but took the lead from game 2 onwards. Lead changed hands from game 3 through to game 6 before Kim regained the lead with her 279 in the seventh game.

The leader won all her 8 games matchplay to give Korea a 1-2-3 finish. Two Gold medalist, Choi Jin A took second spot with 2008 ahead of Gang Hye Eun in third with 1968.

Japan's Naoko Sekine, who led after the third game, settled for fourth with 1947 with the remainder two Koreans, Kim Yeau Jin and Gye Min Young finishing fifth and sixth with 1912 and 1833 respectively.

The women will continue their second block of 8 games over the Long oil condition on Saturday with the top 3 proceeding to the stepladder finals.

Photos courtesy of www.east-asian-games2005.com.

3rd November, Macau: Korea marched on for two more Gold medals in the 4th East Asian Games when both the men and the women triumphed in the Team of 5 events on Thursday.

Two Gold medalist, Kang Hee Won was a class of his own, posting the highest 6-game series of 1442 en-route steer Korea to their sixth Gold medal and his third as the team powered to a 6831 total to win the Team of 5 event.

Choi Jong In, Joung Seoung Ju, Seo Jeng Hwan (1st 3 games), Kang Hee Won, Choi Bok Eum and Kim Kyung Min (2nd 3 games) was a massive 506 pins ahead of their nearest rival.

Hong Kong's Yeung Wai Ki, Cheung Chun Chung, Tseng Tak Hin, Yiu Man Yau and anchored by Wu Siu Hong won their first medal of the competition when they posted 1150 in their final game to take the Silver with 6324 while China snatched the Bronze with 6154. The top 2 teams bettered the record of 6312 set by Chinese Taipei in 2001.

Asian Championship Gold medalist, Choi Bok Eum won his first individual Gold medal when he topped the Men's All Events table with 5678. Choi's efforts in Singles, Doubles, Trios and Team put him ahead of compatriots Kang Hee Won and Choi Jong In for a Korean 1-2-3.

"After the individual event my coach told me to forget about it, clear my mind and just start again," said the 18-year-old Choi. "I would like to thank the coach for that advice and for the training that has made me a champion.

"We've all been looking forward to the East Asian Games and training since May, so we are well prepared. All the hard work is worthwhile, and I feel I have gained rich experience since I started playing seven years ago."

Korea won their eighth Gold medal when the women triumphed in the Team of 5 with a total of 6566, 234 pins clear of Japan, who again settled for the Silver with 6332. Choi Jin A, Gye Min Young, Kim Hyo Mi and Kim Yeau Jin all claimed their second Gold while Gang Hye Eun and Kim Soo Kyung took their first.

China finished strong than the Chinese Taipei women to win the Bronze medal with a total of 6191. The top 4 teams also broke the 5991 record set by Korea in 2001.

The Koreans also took all the medals at stake in the Women's All Events with Kim Hyo Mi winning the Gold with 5582 ahead of fellow countrywomen, Choi Jin A and Gang Hye Eun the Silver and Bronze medal.

Earlier in the day, Japan broke Korea's stanglehold in the bowling event when they won the Men's Trios Gold. Korea has now won 7 of the 8 Gold medal event contested.

The top 16 men and women will contest the Masters finals in two blocks of 8 games over two days with two more Gold medal at stake.

Photos courtesy of www.east-asian-games2005.com.

3rd November, Macau: Japan shared glory with Korea on the fourth day of the 4th East Asian Games when the men captured the Trios Gold and the women's title went to the Koreans.

Japan's Tomoyuki Sasaki, Yoshinao Masatoki and Toshihiko Takahashi was trailing the Chinese Taipei by 27 pins going into the second block but with a superb 707 and 684 in the fourth and fifth game saw them taking over the lead by 78 pins.

Cheng Chao Sheng, Hsiao Chin Liang and Asian Championship Masters Gold medalist, Kao Hai Yuan put in a last minute bid to wrestle back the lead but a poor 631 from the trio saw their chances slipped away.

Japan won their first Gold of the championship with a total of 4004 and Chinese Tapei took the Silver with 3930 while the favorites, Korea settled for the Bronze with 3888. Record tumbled as the top 5 teams bettered the 2001 record of 3831 set by Yoshio Koike, Isao Yamamoto and Seiji Watanabe of Japan.

Meanwhile, the Korean women were unstoppable as they cruised to a 61 pins win over the Japanese to bag their fifth Gold medal of the championship. Doubles Gold medalist, Choi Jin A and Kim Yeau Jin teamed up with Kim Hyo Mi to amass a total of 3946 with Japan settling for the Silver with 3885.

The second Korean team of Singles Gold medalist, Gye Min Young, Kim Soo Kyung and Gang Hye Eun finished third with 3822, just 37 pins adrift. The top 8 teams also broke the record of 3606 set by Nachimi Itakura, Tomomi Shibata and Miyuki Kubotani of Japan in 2001.

Korea occupied the top 3 positions in the Men's All Events standings with Choi Bok Eum leading the pack with 4941 after 21 games and they totally dominating the women's division taking the top 5 positions with Kim Hyo Mi in pole with 4837.

They have also stretched their lead in the overall medal tally with 5 Gold, 1 Silver, 5 Bronze medals and 2 fourth placings on a massive 40 points. Japan took second spot with 16 points while Chinese Taipei could only score 9 points.

Photos courtesy of www.east-asian-games2005.com.

2nd November, Macau: Korea ruled again on Wednesday in the 4th East Asian Games when both their women and men topped the Team of Five first block of three games.

Japan's Sekine Naoko, Tsuchiya Yuka, Matsuda Karuka, Katai Ayano and Fukuda Kumi set the early pace with a team total of 1060 to take a 2 pin lead over the dominant Koreans but soon found themselves trailing 86 pins after the second game.

Doubles Gold medalist, Choi Jin A and Kim Yeau Jin, joined by Singles Gold medalist, Gye Min Young, Gang Hye Eun and Kim Hyo Min amassed a total of 3204 at the end of the first block to lead the field by 92 pins.

Japan settled for second with 3112 while China finished third with 3091 ahead of their neighbours, Chinese Taipei in fourth place with 3059. Home team, Macau managed only a fifth place finish on 2725.

The Koreans were equally dominant in the Men's Team of 5 as they strolled to a comfortable 354 pins margin for the lead. Choi Jong In, Joung Seoung Ju, Seo Jeng Hwan, Kang Hee Won and Choi Bok Eum chalked up 3441 in the first block.

Hong Kong did well to take second position with 3087 with host, Macau gunning for their first medal in third position on a total of 3042.

The trio of Cheng Chao Sheng, Hsiao Chin Liang and Asian Championship Masters Gold medalist, Kao Hai Yuan ended the Korean's domination by taking the lead in the Men's Trios event fist block.

Chinese Taipei led with a total of 2013 with Hong Kong in second with 2007. Japan finished third with 1986 ahead of the strong Koreans in fourth spot with 1971.

Meanwhile, Korea's Choi Jin A, Kim Hyo Mi and Kim Yeau Jin hung on to a slender lead of 16 pins in the Women's Trios first block with Japan in hot pursuit finishing second and third with 2033 and 2027 respectively.

The participants will complete their second block of Trios and Team of 5 event on Thursday. The top 16 men and women will make the cut for the Masters finals to be contested on Friday and Saturday.

Photos courtesy of www.east-asian-games2005.com.

1st November, Macau: Korea underlined their bowling dominance again on Tuesday when they won their fourth consecutive medal of the 4th East Asian Games in both the Men's and Women's Doubles event.

After claiming the Women's and Men's singles on Monday, Korea followed it up by winning the Men's Doubles ahead of Japan and Chinese Taipei. Winning his second Gold medal in two days, Singles champion Kang Hee Won partnered Choi Jong In to amassed a total of 2834 over six games, 27 pins ahead Japan's Masaru Ito and Hirofumi Morimoto, who took the Silver.

Chinese Taipei's Hsiao Chin Liang and Tsai Ting Yun, who were a massive 208 pins off the pace settled for the Bronze with 2626.

Korea also finished fourth and fifth, as the leading eight pairs all broke the previous East Asian Games record of 2570 set by Japan's Nobuyuki Takahama and Kosei Wada at the first edition in 1993.

Victory for Choi Jin A and Kim Yeau Jin in the Women's Doubles on Tuesday afternoon gave Korea their fourth gold medal in four events. The leading seven pairs all bettered the previous East Asian Games record of 2524, set by Korea's Nam Bo Ra and Kim Min Jung in Osaka four years ago.

Choi and Kim chalked up 2813 pins for the Gold, ahead of compatriots Kim Hyo Mi and Kim Sook Yung with 2662 and Japan's Haruka Matsuda and Kumi Fukuda on 2626.

Women's Singles Gold medalist, Gye Min Young finished fourth, partnered by Gang Hye Eun on a total of 2630.

Kang Hee Won led the All Events with a total of 2874 from two events followed by teammate, Choi Jong In in second with 2782 and Choi Bok Eum in third with 2701. Korean women occupied the top 5 with Kim Hyo Mi topping the chart with 2819.

With 4 Gold, 1 Silver, 3 Bronze medals and 2 fourth placings, the Korean are running away in the overall medal tally with 31 points leaving Japan and Chinese Taipei in second and third with just 7 and 6 points respectively.

Photos courtesy of www.east-asian-games2005.com.

31st October, Macau: Korea dominated the opening day of the 4th East Asian Games with Gye Min-Young and Kang Hee-Won winning an impressive double in the Women's and Men's Singles event.

Gye, who had a moderate start, was trailing teammate and leader, Gang Hye Eun by 37 pins at the halfway mark. But the 2004 Asian Championship Masters Gold medalist then shifted into top gear to post high games in her last two games to santch the victory with a 6-game total of 1350.

Chinese Taipei's Tsai Hsin Yi finished second for the Silver with 1348 while another Korean, Kim Hyo Min settled for the Bronze medal with 1322. Liin Yi Fan of Chinese Taipei came home fourth while the pace-setter, Gang fizzled out to fifth.

"Macau's new to me so I didn't play at my best early on, but the support of my team cheered me up and I was able to get some strikes after that," she said. "I really want to thank my coach and friends for this success."

After Gye had won Korea's first Gold medal, Kang Hee Won followed up in the Men's Singles to give Korea a double and a great start in the championship. Kang took the lead from the second game onwards and romped home a confortable winner with 1505 breaking the record.

Two more records were set by second-placed, Yoshinao Masatoki of Japan and third-placed, Joung Seoung Ju of Korea with 1378 and 1354 to claim the Silver and Bronze medals respectively.

"I am very proud to win this gold medal for Korea," said Kang, 23. "It was a good competition but I was able to play at my best to win the gold. Now I want to win the team competition and hope to become the best in the world."

With 10 more medals to be contested, the Koreans have set the standards for their rivals to follow. The bowlers will contest the Doubles event on Short oil condition tomorrow.

Photos courtesy of www.east-asian-games2005.com.

30th October, Macau: The 4th East Asian Games began in spectacular fashion at Macau Stadium on Saturday night with the Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China, Wu Yi, declaring the Games open, to thunderous applause and cheers from the Macau citizens, led by Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau Wah.

The President of the East Asian Games Association, Eddie Laam Wah Ying, gave the welcome speech, and thanked the Macau SAR Government for all their support, making Macau "the proud owner of 12 international standard venues."

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of MEAGOC, Manuel Silverio, then praised the spirit of the Macau people, and said the Games were opening after 1,915 days of preparation.

"The hosting of the fourth East Asian Games is one of the finest demonstrations of the success of the handover," said Mr. Silverio, referring to the 1999 change of sovereignty from Portugal to China.

He described the people of Macau as "true ambassadors for global peace".

"Indeed, what better means to serve the quest for peace, mutual respect and understanding than that of sport.

"We are delighted and privileged to be sharing this sense of pride and ownership for the Games with you all and the people of the East Asia region."

The delegations entered the arena behind brightly-decorated floats, and there was a special cheer for the teams from Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, who marched together holding hands in a moving display of unity.

Three torches were carried into the stadium by three local athletes, and together they lit the torch held by wushu star Han Jing. This was then passed to a fisher boy - a character representing the people of Macau and its origins as a fishing village - who ran to the front of the model boat spanning the pitch to light the Games cauldron, a scene that had the crowd gasping in awe and appreciation.

After the pledge of fair play and judging by representatives of the athletes and judges, the athletes left the arena, and Singaporean songstress Stefanie Sun entertained the crowd.

When the formalities were over, the audience was treated to a sumptuous cultural performance by the Beijing BeiAo Grand Culture and Sports Events Co. Ltd.

Involving some 8,000 volunteers, many from local high schools, and 1,000 professionals from Beijing, BeiAo Events produced surprise after surprise in a performance that held the spectators spellbound with its exoticism and innovation.

Entitled "Light of East Asia - Symphonic Poem of Macau", the story featured five chapters, "The Sunrise Sonata", "Serene Sea Nocturne", "Homeward Voyage Concerto", "Macau Symphony" and "New Era Rhapsody".

There was a never-ending flow of extravagant props and costumes, including giant sea creatures, and a fly past by a flock of red-crowned cranes which stunned the audience and left them wondering whether they were real or on wires.

Macau passed the first test of the Opening Ceremony with flying colours.

In the words of the Games anthem, "We Will Shine", sung by local band Soler, Macau shined like a star at the start of the East Asian Games.

Earlier in the day, the sports action had begun at four venues as preliminary rounds of the dragon boat and wushu competitions were held, and the men's basketball and football got underway.

Japan beat Chinese Taipei 6-1 in Pool A of the football tournament, thanks to two second-half goals from Rui Komatsu, while there were victories for China over Macau (94-43), for Chinese Taipei over Korea (75-56) and for Japan over Hong Kong (88-59).

Photos courtesy of www.east-asian-games2005.com.