Commonwealth Games News Updates

[Gail Torrens]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 2 July 2006


Day One – Men’s Singles
III Commonwealth Tenpin Bowling Championship



Bowlers from five Commonwealth countries shared medal glory on Day One of the III Commonwealth Tenpin Bowling Championships, currently underway in Melbourne, Australia.

26 year-old Jon Zadel from The Midlands in England struck Gold in the first event of the Championship, played on Long Oil, with a total of 1314 for the 6-game block, including the Men’s event High Game of 244.

Bahama’s national champion since 1999, Sonith Lockhart won the Silver, the first medal for The Bahamas in the history of the Commonwealth Championships, with a 1253 score while Australia’s George Frilingos from Brisbane pipped George Lambert IV from Canada to clinch the Bronze by a single pin to finish on 1247.

Highlighting the tight finish to this event, Jason Waters from New Zealand, Mohd Noer Said from Malaysia and Cypriot Andreas Karystianos took the next three places with a margin of only ten pins between all three bowlers.

A Gold in the Teams event at the 2001 European Championships had been Zadel’s previous career highlight, telling reporters following the medal presentation ceremony this evening that he was “over the moon” with this individual win and commending the restructured training program at Team England.

Sonith Lockhart from the island of Abaco was equally jubilant with his historic medal achievement for The Bahamas. An all-round sports star in Tennis, Pool and Bowling, 46 year-old Lockhart now focuses totally on tenpin bowling. “It’s determination and love for the game that my husband travelled this far for” his wife Ann said proudly afterwards. “I enjoy the camaraderie and competitiveness but at the end of the day we are all like family, hoping to see each other succeed…..this Commonwealth connection is by far the best connection in the world” added Sonith Lockhart.

Australia’s George Frilingos echoed these sentiments in describing the unparalleled excitement of competing in this Championship. “This is the third time I’ve represented my country but the atmosphere at this tournament, Cara’s inspirational words at the Opening ceremony and the tremendous sportsmanship on the lanes have combined to make this a really unique experience” Frilingos said.

ends

Media enquiries, please contact CTBF Secretary-General and Media
Director, Lynne Clay on +61 419 444 280 or email lynneclay@bigpond.com

 

[Gail Torrens]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 2 July 2006


Day One – Women’s Singles
III Commonwealth Tenpin Bowling Championship

Defending CTBF Singles champion and former World Masters champion, Ann Maree Putney marked her supremacy in this afternoon’s Singles event with a 220.50 average, including High Game honours of 258 and a 1323 pinfall, overtaking the earlier benchmark set by Men’s Singles winner Jon Zadel from England.

The Gold medal performance by Putney was an uncanny repeat result from the Singles event at the previous Commonwealth Championship in Cyprus, with Caroline Lagrange from Canada winning Silver for the second time, just 34 pins behind Putney on 1289… an even closer result than the 67 margin in Cyprus.

Choy Poh Lai from Malaysia took Bronze, a mere 9 pins behind Lagrange on 1280, while Canadian teammate Jennifer Willis-Park was 4th on 1231 and early leader Ivena Heald from New Zealand slipped to 5th , just 16 pins behind Willis-Park. The two England female team bowlers, Katie Jowsey and Fiona Banks finished within a pin of each other in 6th and 7th place on 1206 and 1205 respectively.

Today’s back to back win of the Singles event by Ann Maree Putney was popular with spectators and players alike, with Putney amiably describing herself as the “Grandma” of bowling in Australia. At 36 years of age, the Newcastle mother of two has amassed an outstanding range of titles at national and international level, with top five finishes at World competition level on 15 previous occasions.

Silver medallist Lagrange from Notre Dame des Pins in Quebec is 14 years her junior and has been bowling since the age of eight. Lagrange recently graduated from the Wichita State University and now plans to return to Canada to pursue her career in Graphic Design and maintain her daily bowling regime in the Montreal region.

25 year-old Choy Poh Lai from Malaysia’s Johor province began bowling at the age of 17 and has emerged through the ranks of Malaysia’s renowned development program as a member of the country’s National Team for the past four years. Second place in the recent Malaysia International Open and today’s Bronze medal at the Commonwealth Championships underline Choy Poh Lai’s ability to delivery outstanding results under the pressure of strong international competition, a quality that will be invaluable in coming months as part of Malaysia’s team at the ABF Zone Championships being held next month in Jakarta and the forthcoming Asian Games in December.

At the conclusion of the Women’s event this evening, a dual medal presentation ceremony was held for both Men’s and Women’s Singles, with medals presented by CTBF President, Julian Pace-Bonello from Malta.

Play resumes at 9am Tuesday with the Women’s Doubles, and the Men’s Doubles scheduled to commence at 1pm following lane maintenance – both of tomorrow's events will be bowled on a Short Oil pattern.

Spectators are welcome at OzTenpin Bowl, Blackshaws Road, Altona North during the week of the Championship and admission is free. Full details of the III Commonwealth Championship schedule, participants and detailed scores can be found at the Championship’s official website - www.2006ctbc.com.

ends

Media enquiries, please contact CTBF Secretary-General and Media
Director, Lynne Clay on +61 419 444 280 or email lynneclay@bigpond.com