Bowling: Joey wins All Events gold and team silver

Bowling: Joey wins All Events gold and team silver

SINGAPORE - She knew she was in the running to clinch the Girls' All Events gold medal at the Asian Youth Bowling Championships in Hong Kong on Thursday, after the first block of games in the team event.

For Joey Yeo, however, winning a team medal with Tracy See, Kimberly Ooi and Ilma Nur Jannah was more important than individual glory.

In the end, that motivation proved enough for the Raffles Girls' School Secondary 4 student to score in both categories - the team silver and the All Events gold.

But not before she lost her voice cheering for her teammates.

A hoarse Joey told The New Paper: "I was very happy that I could get the gold medal, but I was more focused on doing well in the team event.

"I guessed if I did well enough, I could eventually win the All Events."

The 15-year-old landed her gold with a total of 3,859 pinfalls across 18 games in the singles - where she finished seventh - doubles and team events.

South Korea's Kim Jin Sun finished second with 3,724, while Hong Kong's Joan Cheng secured the bronze with 3,673.

In the team event, the Singapore quartet combined for 4,828 pinfalls, 104 behind winners South Korea and 83 more than Indonesia in third place.

The two medals brought Joey's - as well as the Republic's - tally to three; she had won the doubles bronze with Ilma on Wednesday.

While he hailed Joey's performance, national deputy head coach Francis Yeo was delighted that they achieved their target of a team medal.

He said: "We wanted to win a team medal, so any colour was the instruction for us.

Silver

"We got a silver, which is pretty good." Unfortunately, success eluded the Singapore boys, who finished 14th in the team event.

However, Justin Lim finished 16th in the Boys' All Events to make the Masters' finals.

Joey and Ilma, who finished eighth overall, are also in Friday's Masters finals, which will conclude on Saturday with the stepladder finals.

It is another opportunity for Joey to win yet another medal.

Yeo said: "For Joey, it's all down to calming her nerves for the Masters.

"If everything falls in place, there's a good chance for her."

gregloo@sph.com.sg


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