23rd September, Tamuning: Taichung ended the Doubles medal rounds at the 38th Asian Intercity Bowling Championships with a double victory in the Men and Women divisions while Subang Jaya took the Women Senior Doubles gold and silver, and New Territories the Men Senior gold.

Third-seed and second Taichung pair of Tsai Yu Lun and Singles gold medalist, Tsai Yu Shuo edged fourth-seed and challenger, Jack Wong Hui Fung and Frank Lam Chin Fung of Hong Kong, with 9 pin against 8 pin to win their second gold medal of the championship.

Taichung 2 beat Hong Kong 1, 182-176 in the first game but narrowly lost the second game, 172-182 to force a one-ball tie-breaker. Yu Lun and Wong tied with 8 pin each. Yu Shuo then shot 9 to win the tie-breaker and the gold while Frank managed 8 pin only to settle for the silver.

The Tsai siblings had earlier won the one-ball tie-breaker with 9-7 against second-seed of Chen Kuan Yeh and Chen Kuan Lun after one-all (181-201, 189-182) in the all-Taichung semi-final to advance to the gold medal match.

Hong Kong 1 on the other hand advance after ousting top-seed, Cisco Uncangco and Ray San Nicolas of Tamuning 1 with a strike against a 9 pin in the one-ball tie-breaker after one all (183-177, 240-268) in the other semi. Tamuning 1 and Taichung 1 were awarded a bronze medal each.

In the Women's division, Taichung came away with the gold and silver medals after they faced each other in the gold medal match. Second-seed, Pan Yu Fen and Li Shau Ping won the first match 194-191 but lost the second to Lin Shi-Han and Wang Ya-Ting 201-204 to force a one-ball roll-off.

Pan struck while Wang shot 9 pin allowing Pan and Li to win the gold and Lin and Wang settling for the silver medal. Taichung 1 breezed past fourth-seed, Kaygien Arianne Itaralde and Louise Sophia Santarin of Pasay 2, 2-0 (189-182, 200-190) in the first semi-final match.

Taichung 2 shot 9 pin against 5 pin from Paranaque's Julianne Marri Ramirez and Alyssa Louise Ty in the one-ball tie-breaker after a one-all (167-192, 200-190) semi-final tie. Pasay 2 and Paranaque went home with a bronze medal each.

Meanwhile, Subang Jaya won their second gold medal of the championship after the second Subang Jaya pair of Shirley Burnett and Michelle Wong defeated team-mate, Singles gold medalist, Poziah Atan and Singles bronze medalist, Datin Rakian Ali, 2-0 (232-157, 161-149) in the all-Subang Jaya gold medal match.

Burnett and Wong sailed past third-seed, Lisa Duenas and Coleen Dela Cruz of Tamuning 1, 2-0 (181-158, 187-162) in the second semi-final match. Atan and Datin Rakiah also sailed past fourth-seed, Rose Tosco and Marie Velasco of Dededo 2, 2-0 (194-154, 213-167) in the first semi.

Subang 1 added a silver medal for Subang Jaya while Tamuning 1 and Dededo 2 earned a bronze medal each. In the Men Senior division, Singles bronze medalist, Sam Lam and Henry Hui of New Territories denied Subang Jaya their third gold after edging their challenger with a 9 pin count to 7 pin.

Both had tied one-all (213-191, 172-203) in the final before the one-ball tie-breaker. New Territories 2 had tied with John Abad and Singles gold medalist, Manny Tagle Jr. of Yigo 1, one-all (194-196, 192-150) in the semi-final before shooting 9 pin to advance to the final against Yigo's 8 pin.

Subang Jaya 1's Gary Chan and Singles silver medalist, Ng Yew Hup broke the one-ball tie-breaker, 9-8 after both won one match each (164-180, 184-179) in the other semi. Chan and Ng added a silver medal for Subang Jaya while Dededo and Yigo earned a bronze medal each.

The Team of Four, over 3 games will be contested tomorrow, September 24 with the Men and Men Senior in the morning. The top 4 teams will advance to the medal round that will follow after lane maintenance. The Women and Women Senior Team of Four preliminaries will take place on September 25 following with the top 4 teams battling it out in the medal round.

The top 16 Men, top 16 Women, top 16 Men Senior and top 8 Women Senior based on their respective All-Events standings after 11 games (Singles, Doubles and Team) will make the cut for the Masters Elimination Rounds to determine the division Masters champions on September 26.

A victory banquet at the Capital Kitchen Restaurant, hosted by Tamuning will be held at 7.00pm local time when the Men, Women, Men Senior and Women Senior division champions will be awarded a trophy each. A trophy will also be awarded to the Overall Champions.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Tamuning, Guam.