United States sweeps team gold at 2015 World Seniors Championships

    08/30/15

    2015 WSrC

    John Chapman (Canada) and Lucy Sandelin (United States) win gold in All-Events; top 24 men and women advance to Sunday's Masters finals

    2015WSrCTeamGoldUSABanner.jpg

     

    2015WSrCMenTeamUSA2.jpg2015WSrCMenTeamAustralia.jpgThe United States swept the men's and women's team titles Saturday at the 2015 World Seniors Championships.

    In the men's final, the U.S. (left) took advantage of some early miscues by Australia (right) as they coasted to an 887-675 victory at Sam's Town Bowling Center in Las Vegas. The women's gold-medal match went down to the final frame, with the U.S. outlasting Mexico, 785-754.

    The U.S. men's team quickly distanced themselves from their opponent after all four Australian players were unable to mark in the fourth frame.

    The U.S. never let off the gas as they were led by Ron Mohr, the only returning member from the U.S. team that won silver at the 2013 event, who fired a 278 game. Mohr was joined by Johnny Petraglia (212), Lennie Boresch Jr. (210) and Bob Learn Jr. (187).

    "This was everything," said Mohr, who won gold medals in doubles and all-events in 2013. "Two years ago, we missed the team gold, which is the objective. To capture it this year and see the guys' reactions, it's as good as it gets."

    2015WSrCMenTeamSweden.jpg2015WSrCMenTeamCanada.jpgThe win capped off a resilient performance by the U.S. squad, which started the final round of qualifying Saturday nearly 120 pins out of the medal round before averaging more than 225 as a team in their final two games to move into third with a six-game total of 4,972.

    The U.S. men defeated Sweden (left), which bested them in the 2013 title match, in the semifinal to advance to the championship round, 859-805, while Australia, which led qualifying with 5,087, rolled over Canada (right), 858-713. Sweden and Canada earned bronze medals.

    2015WSrCWomenTeamUSA.jpg2015WSrCWomenTeamMexico.jpgNeither team backed down in the women's title match, as both the U.S. (left) and Mexico (right) continued to keep the pressure on one another throughout the entire game. The U.S. team (left), featuring Tish Johnson (214), Lucy Sandelin (201), Robin Romeo (193) and Paula Vidad (177), held the advantage as both teams started the 10th frame, and did what they needed to secure the win.

    2015WSrCWomenTeamAustralia.jpg2015WSrCWomenTeamSweden.jpg"The big thing in a match like that is filling frames," said Romeo, who teamed with Johnson and Sandelin to take the bronze medal in team event in 2013. "The lanes were tough and strikes were hard to come by. We were disappointed with bronze in 2013, so we really wanted to win the gold this year. There's no feeling in the world that can match bowling for your country."

    The U.S. women's team paced qualifying with a 4,861 total, and defeated Australia (left) in the semifinal, 821-707, to earn their spot in the finals. Mexico edged out defending champion Sweden (right) in the other semifinal, 765-746. Australia and Sweden took home bronze.

    2015WSrCWomenAELucySandelin.jpgThe all-events medalists also were determined Saturday as Lucy Sandelin (left) and Canada's John Chapman (right) secured gold medals by posting the highest 18-game totals from singles, doubles and team qualifying.

    2015WSrCWomenAEPodium.jpgSandelin, a USBC Hall of Famer, cruised to the gold by nearly 150 pins over the rest of the women's field with a 3,756 total. Sweden's Susanne Olsson (center) took silver with 3,617, and defending all-events champion Robin Romeo (right) moved from fifth to third in her final game to earn bronze with 3,542.

    "I'm a big student of the mental game, and really try to focus on the process and not the result," said Sandelin, who also has won gold in doubles and bronze in singles this week.

    2015WSrCJohnChapman2.jpg"If you focus on the process, the result takes care of itself. I wasn't focusing on all-events. I just wanted to take it one shot at a time and cover my spares, and that's why I think I did so well. I've worked very hard to get here, and it feels awesome."

    2015WSrCMenAEPodium.jpgChapman nearly averaged 218 for the week as he finished with a 3,922 total to record the win after collecting a silver medal in doubles and bronze in singles and team. Lennie Boresch (left) earned silver with 3,904, while Australia's Shaun Cummings (right) took bronze with 3,889.

    "I'm battling a knee injury, so I'm surprised that I'm bowling as well as I am," Chapman said. "This is my first time bowling for Canada at 56 years old, so I wanted to give it my best. I'm known for my consistency, and I think I proved it this week. I'm ecstatic. To win gold in all-events, I couldn't be prouder. It's a great feeling."

    The top 24 players in all-events on both the men's and women's side also advanced to Masters. All advancers will bowl an additional six games to determine the top eight for round-robin match play. The top four scores after match play, including bonus pins, will advance to the medal round.

    2015WSrCLogo.jpg The 2nd World Seniors Championships features more than 200 male and female participants age 50 and older from 33 countries vying for medals in Singles, Doubles, Team, All-Events and Masters competition.

    2014BowlTVLogo_small.jpg Masters competition will start Sunday at 12:30 p.m. Eastern. All rounds of the 2015 event will be broadcast live on BOWL.com's BowlTV.

    Story courtesy of Aaron Smith, USBC Communications. Photos: Aaron Smith and Randy Gulley.

     


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    2015 World Seniors Championships - Men's Team Finals


    2015WSrCMenTeamUSA.jpgChampionship Round:
    1. United States (Johnny Petraglia, Bob Learn Jr, Lennie Boresch, Ron Mohr)
    2. Australia (Shaun Cummings, Robert Chinner, Warren Stewart, Andrew Frawley)
    3. Sweden (Jan Nordberg, Peter Eriksson, Johan Ã…berg, Christer Petersson)
    (tie) Canada (John Chapman, Fred Phillips, Todd Sim, Ray Vervynck)

    Playoff Results:
    Semifinal Match 1: No. 1 Australia def. No. 4 Canada, 858-713
    Semifinal Match 2: No. 3 United States def. No. 2 Sweden, 859-805
    Championship Match: United States def. Australia, 887-675

     


    2015 World Seniors Championships - Women's Team Finals


    2015WSrCWomenTeamUSA.jpgChampionship Round:
    1. United States (Robin Romeo, Paula Vidad, Lucy Sandelin, Tish Johnson)
    2. Mexico (Teresa Piccini, Scarlett Padilla, Margarita Ramos, Melva Castro)
    3. Sweden (Christel Carlsson, Lena Sulkanen, Kristina Nordenson, Susanne Olsson)
    (tie) Australia (Robyn Flynn, Susanne Jack, Kerry Kennedy, Jeanette Baker)

    Playoff Results:
    Semifinal Match 1: No. 1 United States def. No. 4 Australia, 821-707
    Semifinal Match 2: No. 3 Mexico def. No. 2 Sweden, 765-746
    Championship Match: United States def. Mexico, 785-754

     


    2015 WSrC Men's Team - Standings after Qualifying


    Top four advance to the playoffs.

     


    2015 WSrC Women's Team - Standings after Qualifying


    Top four advance to the playoffs.

     


    2015 World Seniors Championships - Men's All Events (Final Standings)


    Top 24 advance to the Masters finals

     


    2015 World Seniors Championships - Womenen's All Events (Final Standings)


    Top 24 advance to the Masters finals

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