3rd December, Bendigo: Esther Cheah of Malaysia and Matthew Kanafa of Australia ended the Commonwealth Youth Games by capturing the Girl's and Boy's Masters Gold medal at Dargon City Lanes this evening.

Esther Cheah celebrated Malaysia's overall champions status after beating England's Jenny Billingham, 422-336 for the girl's crown while Kanafa won his first individual Gold medal defeating Malaysia's Adrian Ang, 432-396 in the two-game stepladder finals.

Top-seed Cheah trounced England's Jenny Billingham, 422-336 in the Girl's Stepladder finals to win her first individual Gold and Malaysia's third. The champion posted two identical games of 211 and Billingham could only manage 180 and 156.

The runner-up and Doubles Gold medalist, Billingham had ealier narrowly defeated third-seed and Team Gold medalist, Jazreel Tan of Singapore by a single pin, 179-178 to face the top-seed in the deciding match. The 17-year-old champion proved a handful and had to settle for the Silver medal. Tan brought home the Bronze for Singapore.

In the boy's division, Adrian Ang, the All-Events Gold medalist almost gave Malaysia a double celebration when he edged third-seed, Sean Croke of England, 205-204 to face top-seed, Matthew Kanafa.

Ang lost the first game 192-233 and had a tall task for the Gold. And luck was not with the 17-year-old when he encountered two 7-10 splits in the fifth and seventh frames in the second and crucial match.

Kanafa went to beat Ang 204-199 in the second match and captured his second Gold medal of the competition with the two-game total pinfalls, 437-391. Ang settled for the Silver while Sean Croke took home the Bronze medal.

Both champions, Kanafa and Cheah ended the 8-games round-robin Masters finals earlier in pole position going into the stepladder finals with 1780 and 1689 respectively. Ang totalled 1689 for second with Sean Croke third on 1669. England's Gareth Stone missed the cut for the stepladder finals finishing fourth with 1655.

Billingham, who trailed the champion from start to finish, ended up in second with 1658 ahead of Singapore National champion, Jazreel Tan in third with 1647. Doubles Gold medalist, Holly Towersey took fourth with 1634, just 13 pins from making the cut for the stepladder finals.

Malaysia emerged as overall champions of the tenpin bowling event included for the first-time ever in the second edition of the Commonwealth Youth Games here in Australia with 3 Gold and 5 Silver medals on a total of 30 points. Singapore finished second with 2 Gold, 1 Silver and 2 Bronze medals on 17 points. Third spot went to England with 1 Gold, 2 Silver and 3 Bronze medals on 17 points.

Photos courtesy of Mr B.C. Cheah, MTBC.

2nd December, Bendigo: Singapore's Tay Hui Yiang claimed her second Gold medal in the Commonwealth Youth Games by topping the Girl's All-Events final standings while Malaysia's Adrian Ang and Zaid Izlan finished 1-2 in the Boy's division.

Tay, who helped Singapore win its first Gold medal at the end of the second block of the Team of 4 event earlier, totalled 3683 over the 18-games Mixed Doubles, Girl's Doubles and Team events.

Going into the final block of the Team event, the Asian Schools Silver medalist had a cushion of 115 pins over Girl's Doubles Gold medalist, Holly Towersey of England on a 15-game total of 3108 to Towersey's 2993, thanks to a superb 688 first block. Towersey's Gold medalist teammate, Jenny Billingham was third a further three pins away.

Under strong challenges from the two, Tay did well to post 234 in her Team fourth game but feeling a little tired towards the gruelling 18-games over two tighly scheduled competition days, she finished off with 173 and 168 in her

last two games for a total of 1263 which was enough to claim the Gold medal. Towersey and Billingham settled for Silver and Bronze with 3580 and 3551 respectively.

In the boy's division, Malaysia rounded off an outstanding two days of competition with another 1-2 finish. It was 17-year-old Malaysian National first runner-up, Adrian Ang turn to bring home the Gold medal after topping the All-Events standings with an accummulated total of 3778 over the three events.

The Mixed Doubles Gold medalist stormed home to take the Silver medal with 3631, a 147 pins behind his teammate while Boy's Doubles Gold medalist, Matthew Kanafa of Australia finished third for the Bronze with 3612.

England's Gareth Stone missed out on the medal to finish fourth with 3567 while Singapore's Jazreel Tan also missed out on the medals in the girl's division.

After three events, Malaysia continues to lead the Overall Medal standings with two Gold and four Silver medals on 22 points with Singapore in second with two Gold, one Silver, one Bronze medal and a 4th placing on 16 points. England took third spot with one Gold, one Silver, two Bronze medals and three fourth placings on 15 points.

The top 8 from the All-Events final standings in the Boys and Girls division qualified for the round-robin Masters Finals tomorrow (3rd December). At the end of the finals, the top 3 will proceed to the stepladder finals to determine the champions.

Photos courtesy of Mr B.C. Cheah, MTBC.

2nd December, Bendigo: Singapore struck its first Gold medal in the Commonwealth Youth Games when Aloysius Goh, Tay Hui Yiang, Stanley Ong and Jazreel Tan led all the way to win the Team event at Dragon City Lanes this evening.

Singapore, who led in yesterday's first block with a comfortable 214-pins margin went on to cruise home with 4763 team total with 142 pins to spare from the strong finihsing Malaysia in second and England third.

Despite only managing 764, 761 and 766 in the remaining three games, the cushion they built up in the first block was sufficient to earn Singapore the first Gold medal of the championship. Aloysius Goh and his male counterpart, Stanley Ong had moderate scores of 1110 and 1120 respectively but their female compatriot, Tay Hui Yiang and Jazreel Tan posted good scores to help the team with the win.

Malaysia's Adrian Ang, Esther Cheah and siblings, Zaid Izlan and Zandra mounted a strong challenge but were contented with the Silver on a team total of 4621.

England's Sean Croke, Gareth Stone with Doubles Gold medalist, Jenny Billingham and Holly Flanagan took home the Bronze with a 4576 total. The host nation's team of Bianca Flanagan, Louise Ingoe with Boy's Doubles Gold medalist, Stephen Reynolds and Matthew Kanafa finished fourth with 4524 team total.

The top 8 from the All-Events final standings in the Boys and Girls division qualified for the round-robin Masters Finals tomorrow (3rd December). At the end of the finals, the top 3 will proceed to the stepladder finals to determine the champions.

Photos courtesy of Mr B.C. Cheah, MTBC.

2nd December, Bendigo: Honours were shared between England and host nation, Australia when the English duo won the Girl's Doubles Gold medal while the Aussies clinched the Boy's Doubles of the Commonwealth Youth Games on day 2.

Holly Towersey and Jenny Billingham of England, posted 1142 and 1351 and a 6-games team total of 2493 for the win, while Stephen Reynolds and Matthew Kanafa clinched the Boy's honours with a team total of 2483 to give host national their first triumph.

Towersey and Billingham set a blistering pace at the start of the Girl's Doubles this morning with 423 total and hang on to the lead despite a 394 and 388 in the fourth and fifth game. But a strong 466 in the final game assured them of the Gold medal. Billingham also set the highest 6-game series with 1351 and averaging 225.17.

Singapore's Jazreel Tan and Tay Hui Yiang, who was trading second and third spots with close contenders Australia and New Zealand, scored strong

fifth and sixth games to clinch the Silver medal. Louise Ingoe and Bianca Flanagan settled for the Bronze medal with a team total of 2310 with New Zealand finishing fourth on 2285.

In the boy's division, Singapore had an good start when Aloysius Goh and Stanley Ong set the pace with 422 in the first game to lead the field by 28 pins. The duo stretched their lead to 60 pins in the second and 90 pins at the halfway mark but the Malaysian was right on their tail to reduce the gap to 40 pins by the fourth game.

It was all down to the wire by the fifth game when only 7 pins seprated the top three with Singapore hanging on to a 5-pin over Australia and a 7-pin lead over third-placed Malaysia. A superb 476 by Stephen Reynolds and Matthew Kanafa of Australia clinched the Gold medal with a total of 2483 while Zaid Izlan-Adrian Ang's 433 was enough to topple the leader, Singapore for the Silver on 2438.

Singapore's final game of 378 saw them dropping to third for the Bronze with 2390 with England in fourth with 2357. Matthew Kanafa's 1374 was the

highest 6-game series posted in this morning's doubles which helped the Aussies winning the Gold medal.

After Mixed Doubles, Doubles and a first block Team of 4 event, Silver medalist Tay Hiu Ying of Singapore leads the All-Events standings with a total of 3108 played over 15 games so far. Holly Towersey is second with 2993 followed by Jenny Billingham in third spot with 2990.

Adrian Ang and Zaid Izlan occupied the top two positions in the Boy's All-Events standings with 3163 and 3043 respectively while Doubles Gold medalist, Matthew Kanafa is third with 2981. The top 8 from both the divisions will make the cut for the Masters finals.

Malaysia leads the Overall Medal standings with one Gold and two Silver medals on 11 points followed by Australia with one Gold and two Bronze medals on 9 points, and England in third spot with one Gold and two 4th placings on 7 points. The bowlers will continue their second block of the Team of 4 event after the lane maintenance.

Photos courtesy of Mr B.C. Cheah, MTBC.

1st December, Bendigo: Singapore's Aloysius Goh, Jazreel Tan, Tay Hiu Yiang and Stanley Ong took the lead of the Team of Four first block of the Commonwealth Youth Games at Dragon City Lanes this evening.

The quartet outshone favourites, host nation Australia and favourites, Malaysia for a comfortable lead of 159 pins from the Aussies and 214 pins from the Malaysians.

With the disappointment in the Mixed Doubles events earlier today, the foursome took the lead from the word "Go" in the Team of Four fist block of three games with 802 team total. They kept the lead with 776 in the second game and then ended the block with a superb 894 in the third game to lead by a comfortable 159 pins.

Asian Schools Silver medalist, Tay Hiu Yiang was the star of the group when she blaxed the lanes with lines of 229, 243 and 216 for a total of 688. Reigning National Champion, Jazreel Tan also contributed to the team substantially with 205, 200 and 227 for a total 3-game total of 632.

The boys had the girls to thank for the lead when Aloysius Goh only managed 560 while his teammate, Stanley Ong scored 592. England was

the surprise amongst the top team competing in the championship when Jenny Billingham, Sean Croke, Gareth Stone and Holly Towersey took second spot with 2313 team total.

Mixed Doubles Gold and Silver medalists, Zandra Aziela, Zaid Izlan, Esther Cheah and Adrian Ang, bowled below par to settle for third place, a further 214 pins behind the leader on 2258. Host nation Australia, who start well, fizzled out to fourth place with 2173.

The bowlers will complete their second block of three games tomorrow evening (2nd December) after the Doubles in the morning and afternoon.

Photos courtesy of Mr B.C. Cheah, MTBC.

1st December, Bendigo: Malaysia dominated the Mixed Doubles event of the Commonwealth Games finishing 1-2 to capture the Gold and Silver medals at Dragon City Lanes.

Malaysia's Zaid Izlan and Zandra Aziela hung on to their lead of 2529 in Squad A to win the Gold medal by a nose from the other Malaysian pair of Esther Cheah and Adrian Ang finishing strongly to take the Silver, just a single pin on 2528.

Cheah and Ang was trailing the leader by 10 pins going into the final and sixth game of the Mixed Doubles Squad B and needed a high game to pip their compatriot. In the final frame, Ang already had two strikes in the 10th frame and another strike would allow the pair to tie for the Gold. But a stuborn pin-10 prevented them from sharing the Gold.

All was not lost as they took the Silver to give Malaysia a dream start to their campaign with a 1-2 finish. Australia's Bianca Flanagan and Stephen Reynolds, who trailed the champion in Squad A settled for the Bronze medal with 2480.

England could only manage a fourth placing with 2465. Singapore's Aloysius Goh and Tay Hiu Yiang, who was third in Squad A, dropped to fifth with 2374.

The participants will be starting their Team of Four first block of three games after the lane maintenance and will complete the second block tomorrow evening (2nd Dcember) after the Doubles event.

Photos courtesy of Mr B.C. Cheah, MTBC.

1st December, Bendigo: Malaysia could not have asked for a better start to their Commonwealth Youth Games campaign when Zaid Izaln and Zandra Aziela topped the Mixed Doubles Squad A underway at Dragon City Lanes this morning.

Ibrahim Hakimi's siblings, Zaid and Zandra gave Team Malaysia a rousing start through the telepathic understanding in Squad A, starting off with a par excellence first game of a combined score of 398 to take an early lead. The pair maintain the lead until the fourth game when they briefly handed the lead to Australia's Bianca Flanagan and Stephen Reynolds by just 2 pins.

Malaysia's National Chief Coach, Chris Batson then re-aligned their approach and the brother-sister combination, fought back galantly to regain the lead after the fifth game to lead by 17 pins ahead of the Australians.

In the final game, Zaid was awesome as he blazed the lanes with the magical 7 consecutive strikes, and on the eigth frame, he hit a solid 1-3 pocket to see 10 pin standing.

Zaid continued his hot streak with a double strike in ninth and tenth frames to finish off the game with a superb 265. Zaid improved his performance game by game, on lines of 179, 190, 203, 206, 207 and 265 for a 1250 total, avergaing 208.3.

Elder sister, Zandra bowled over par excellence throughout the series, scorching with 219, 224, 216, 201, 210 and 209 for a 1279 6-game total and averaging 213.2. Australia's Bianca Flanagan and Stephen Reynolds settled for second position with 2480 total while Singpore's Aloysius Goh pairing up with Tay Hui Yang totalled 2374 for third position at the end of Squad A.

The Mixed Doubles Squad B will commence at 1300 hrs after the lane maintenance.

Photos courtesy of Mr B.C. Cheah, MTBC.