Blackjacks Qualify For Medal Chase At World Bowls Championships

The New Zealand Blackjacks have made every post a winner today, winning all but one game, and booking a place in the medal rounds for three of the four disciplines at the World Boys Championships on the Gold Coast.

Meanwhile singles star, Andrew Kelly from Christchurch, currently with seven wins and one loss, has two further rounds to play tomorrow.

However the men’s fours, women’s pair and triples all finished top of their respective sections and through to sudden-death medal rounds tomorrow.

This event is the largest World Bowls Championship in history with 44 countries competing.

Participants and teams were divided into sections and a ‘top two’ finish was required to progress to the medal rounds- for all four disciplines in play this week to do so is a magnificent achievement.

Kelly won all three games today, and has matches tomorrow against Samoa and Brazil and on form to qualify for the medal rounds.

The men’s fours of Sheldon Bagrie-Howley, Lance Pascoe, Chris LeLievre and Tony Grantham are in sensational form, dropping just one game in this event so far. They beat a strong South African team yesterday and recorded wins against Singapore, Fiji before losing to India by one point today after dropping three shots on the final end. They qualified top of the table and take on Hong Kong China in the quarterfinal tomorrow.

The women’s pair Katelyn Inch and Selina Goddard managed an exciting 16-15 victory over a spirited Guernsey combination in their final round clash, with the must-win match ensuring they will have an opportunity to chase medals over the weekend. They will meet Scotland in their quarterfinal tomorrow.

The women’s triples team of Val Smith, Tayla Bruce and Leeane Poulson have stormed through their section without dropping a game to qualify top of their section., after their 25-14 win over Jersey.

They will begin the medal playoffs tomorrow against Malaysia with a special incentive, with skipper Val Smith set to become the most capped New Zealand bowler. The win over Jersey today saw Smith equal the record of 646 games for the Blackjacks, set by former teammate and good friend, Jo Edwards.

With everything to play for, the New Zealand Blackjacks remain a real chance of adding four further medals to their tally.

Bite Sized Information Below:

Men’s Singles- Andrew Kelly

Won 21-17 Vs Philippines

Won 21 –14 Vs Czechia

Won 21-8 Vs Malta

Won 21-4 Vs India

Loss 14-21 Vs Ireland

Won 21-18 Vs Guernsey

Won 21-8 Vs Norfolk Island

Won 21-8 Vs France

Men’s Fours- Sheldon Bagrie-Howley, Lance Pascoe, Chris LeLievre, Tony Grantham

Won 27-6 Vs Switzerland

Won 17-9 Vs Cook Islands

Default Win Vs Kenya

Won 25-9 Vs Zimbabwe

Won 13-12 Vs South Africa

Won 18-12 Vs Singapore

Won 15-6 Vs Fiji

Loss 12-13 Vs India

Women’s Pairs- Katelyn Inch, Selina Goddard

Won 37-4 Vs Papua New Guinea

Won 16-15 Vs Ireland

Won 31-4 Vs Niue

Won 39-7 Vs Argentina

Lost 11-16 Vs Philippines

Won 16-10 Vs Namibia

Won 16-15 Vs Guernsey

Women’s Triples- Val Smith, Tayla Bruce, Leeane Poulson

Won 20-8 Vs Cook Islands

Won 21-17 Vs Japan

Won 21-12 Vs Zimbabwe

Won 28-6 Vs Switzerland

Won 22-12 Vs Wales

Won 21-10 Vs Canada

Won 25-14 Vs Jersey

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