Australia Aims For Big Medal Haul From Asia Pacific Bowls
Championships
The Australian men's and women's bowls teams are looking for a big haul of medals from the 2003 Asia Pacific Bowls Championship, starting next week in Brisbane, as they attempt to wrestle the overall champions title back from New Zealand.
Australia was the best performed nation at the 1999 championship held in Malaysia, but lost the crown to New Zealand in 2001.
Staged at the Pine Rivers Memorial Bowls Club from 25 November to 2 December, the biennial Asia Pacific Bowls Championship features teams from 17 nations.
Australia, Brunei, Canada, Cook Islands, Fiji, Hong Kong China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Thailand and USA will contest the event. Each enters a male and female team of five competitors competing in singles, pairs, triples and fours.
Historically the championship has been dominated by the trans-Tasman rivals.
At the last event only one of the eight individual titles did not go to either Australia or New Zealand.
However the world's fastest growing bowls nations have made up significant ground in recent years and can be expected to again mount a serious challenge.
Heading the list is Malaysia, which continues to surprise on the international scene and at the 2002 Commonwealth Games secured gold in the women's singles through the outstanding talents of Siti Zalina Ahmed.
At the 2001 Asia Pacific Bowls Championship Australia finished with gold in the men's and women's triples and fours, as well as bronze in both singles events.
National coach Robbie Dobbins said it was important that the side improved on that performance.
"I'm certainly looking for a medal in every discipline," Dobbins said.
"We are blooding new players in this event as part of our preparation for the 2004 world championships and will also trial some new tactics.
"But we still want to win and most of all we want to take the overall title back from New Zealand because there is a lot of pride in being Asia Pacific champions.
"That won't be an easy task, however, as the gap between the developing bowls nations and Australia and New Zealand has closed dramatically in recent years.
"Our players will have to be at their best in every game they play. If they are then we will be up high in the medal count."
One of the Australian players making her international debut is Gold Coast based teenager Lynsey Armitage. A 19-year-old university student, Arimitage will become the youngest player ever to represent Australia when she plays lead in the triples and fours.
She is part of a new-look side that comprises Karen Murphy, Lee Poletti, Helen Bosisto and Maria Rigby. Both Bosisto and Rigby will also be making their international debuts at the
'open' level.
Murphy, a silver medalist at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, will play singles and will skip for Poletti in the pairs. The triples line-up is Armitage, Bosisto, Rigby, with Poletti joining that trio in the fours.
The Australian men's team for the event comprises Steve Glasson, Kelvin Kerkow, Bill Cornehls, Kevin Walsh and Michael Wilks.
Glasson, Australia's No.1 ranked bowler, will play singles and will skip for Kerkow in the pairs. The triples line-up is Cornehls, Walsh, Wilks, with Kerkow joining that trio in the fours.
The singles and fours will be played over the first four days of the event with all players from the Australian men's and women's teams in action in the opening session
- a twilight session starting at 5.00pm on Tuesday 25 November. The finals of the singles and fours will be played on Friday 28 November.
The pairs and triples will be played from Saturday 29 November and will conclude with the finals on Tuesday 2 December.
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Australian teams for the Asia Pacific Bowls Championship (25 Nov- 2 Dec):
Women: Singles: Karen Murphy; Pairs: Lee Poletti, Murphy; Triples: Lynsey Armitage, Helen Bosisto, Maria Rigby; Fours: Armitage, Bosisto, Poletti, Rigby.
Men: Singles: Steve Glasson; Pairs: Kelvin Kerkow; Glasson; Triples: Bill Cornehls, Kevin Walsh, Michael Wilks; Fours: Cornehls, Kerkow, Walsh,
Wilks.
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