Tania Yusaf, Michael Mak shoot into Girls and Boys Singles lead at World Youth Championships

    08/09/14

    2014 WYC Hong Kong

    With only one squad to go, Scotland's Yusaf leads the 70 girls with 1258 (209.67); Mak doubles in the last frame to give the host country Hong Kong the pole position in the 130-player boys' field; the top 4 advance to the semifinals starting at 6 p.m. HK time

    2014WYCTaniaYusaf.jpg2014WYCMichaelMak.jpgTania Yusaf (pictured left) of Scotland and hometown favorite Michael Mak (right) led Squad C Saturday morning at the 13th CGSE World Youth Championships en route to shoot into the lead in the qualifying of the Girls and Boys Singles event.

    Yusaf rolled a 1258 series to lead the 70 girls with only the last Squad D to go. Mak threw a clutch double in the very last frame of his six-game block on the 35 feet Beijing pattern, to shoot to the top of the 130-player Boys Division with 1417 (236.17).

    The top four players advance to the semifinals at 6 p.m. Hong Kong time and have assured at least a bronze medal.

    2014WYCMiraiIshimoto.jpg2014WYCLauraPlazas.jpgYusaf, who is targeting to win the first medal ever in a World Youth Championships for Scotland, started her six-game block with a big 233 game, but fell behind due to sub-par 172 and 182 games. She rebounded with 212 in game four before she powered her way into the lead with 288, the highest game in the Girls Division so far.

    She finished with 171 and 1258 total, an average of 209.67, to overtake previous leader Mirai Ishimoto of Japan, by six pins. The Squad A leader slipped to second place with 1252 (208.67).(left)

    2014WYCVeronicaDeSouza.jpgLaura Plazas (above right) of Colombia was 16 pins behind Yusaf with 1242 including high games of 242 and 251 and four games between 181 and 197 to leap into third place. Squad B leader Veronica Dias De Souza of Macau fell two spots to the fourth and last place to advance to the playoffs with 1226 and an average of 204.33.

    Daria Voronkova of Russia finished her set with a big 243 game but fell six pins short of the top 4 to sit in fifth place with 1220. Liz Kuhlkin (1216), United States, and Merlina San Nicolas (1213) of Mexico; who previously held third and fourth place, slipped to sixth and seventh place.

    2014WYCBillHoffmanMichaelMakMikeSeymour.jpgLaura Piros of Romania and Finland's Eliisa Hiltunen cracked the top 10 with 1192 and 1187, good for 9th and 10 place at the moment.

    Michael Mak (pictured right with head coach Bill Hoffman, left, and coach Mike Seymour), who is also on the adult Hong Kong national team, seemed not to feel the pressure of high expectations and followed a solid opening game (195) with two big games (256 & 279) and never looked back. After 228 and 204, coach Mike Seymour of Australia said that they were going for 230 in the last game to secure second place.

    2014WYCChoiWoosub.jpg2014WYCMarioHerrerra.jpgHowever, Mak had other plans and brought himself in the position to overtake the lead with a double in the 10th frame. The righthander struck twice and got a 9-count on the fill ball to beat out Choi Woo Sub (left) for the top spot by four pins, 1417 to 1413.

    The Korean lefty slipped to second place and is followed by fellow Squad A members, Mario Herrera (right) of Mexico (1388) in third place and Muhd Rafiq Ismail of Malaysia (1371) in fourth place.

    Mak's feat pushed Russia's Maxim Okorokov out of the top 4 to fifth place with 1367. Trailing Mak by 99 pins to finish Squad C in second place was Valentin Saulnier of France, who moved into 9th place in the standings with 1318.

    2014WYCChristopherLam.jpg2014WYCKherwinRenCremenArielYoung.jpgEngland's Christopher Lam (left) was the only other player who surpassed the 1300-mark with 1314, good for 10th place overall. Ariel Young (pictured right with teammate Kherwin Ren Cremen), Philippines, was just 42 pins behind Mak heading to the last game, but had to settle for 20th place with 1280 after suffering a 160 in the last game.

    Singles Qualifying concludes with Squad starting at 1.30 p.m. after which the 96 girls and 166 boys will be cut to the top four players each, who advance to the semifinals. The No. 1 meets the No. 4 and the No. 2 bowls the No. 3 starting at 6 p.m. Hong Kong time. The winners bowl for gold and silver while the losers share the bronze medal.

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    The WYC is made possible by title sponsor, The Chinese Gold & Silver Exchange Society World, and co-sponsors Chancellor Precious Metals, Fine Metal Asia Limited, Glory Sky and Safe Gold Bullion Limited as well as Watsons Water and Mr. Juicy, the Official Drink Sponsor of the event.

     

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    13th CGSE World Youth Championships - Girls Singles (Squad A, B & C only)


    Players with position, country and 6-game total. Top 4 after four squads will advance to the playoffs.

     

     

    13th CGSE World Youth Championships - Boys Singles (Squad A, B & C only)


    Players with position, country and 6-game total. Top 4 after four squads will advance to the playoffs.

     

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