Co-sanctioned by World Bowls and the International Indoor Bowls Council (IIBC), 42 of the world’s best young lawn bowlers have converged on Hong Kong Football Club for the seven-day event.
The competitors, who hail from 21 countries, are all 25 or under, and have their sights set on three world titles – men’s singles, women’s singles and mixed pairs.
Ireland are the defending champions in both the women’s singles and mixed pairs following Shauna O’Neill’s double success in 2023 at East Kilbride. She was partnered by Ryan McElroy in the mixed pairs, while Australia’s Nathan Black won the men’s singles.
Irish hopes this year fall to Lara Reaney and Jayden Kyle and they have made a bold bid for retaining the mixed pairs title.
The duo are one of four pairings to return winning scorecards from both their matches on the opening day.
Also recording 100 per cent records were Australia’s Kira Bourke and Kane Nelson, Scotland’s Sophie McGrouther and Paul Innes and England’s Ruby Hill, who won the event in 2022 with Harry Goodwin, and her partner this year Aaron Johnson, who had an epic tiebreak win over Wales’ Lauren Gowen and Cory Davies dramatically clinched with Johnson’s last bowl of the game in what was undoubtedly the highlight of day one.
In fact, the Australia, English and Scottish players continued their winning ways in the one round of singles which was played.
In the women’s event, there were also successes for Namibia’s Haley Langenstassen, Emma Boyd, Canada, Malaysia’s Nur Ain Kemilia Sukri, Emily Rich from Guernsey, Norfolk Island’s Ellie Dixon and Emily Chan, of the host country, while for the men Welshman Cory Davies, Owen Kirby, Canada, Myles Ng, of Macau, China, South Africa’s Alwyn Martignone, Thailand’s Wuttipong Yooyenjit, and Hong Kong China’s Ip Ka-Ching Quenton chalked up wins.
Round robin matches in all three tournaments continue until Friday. The quarter-finals and semi-finals take place on Saturday, with the finals on Sunday.
Live streaming will commence from the quarter-finals: World Bowls YouTube Channel
This is the 25th edition of the competition with Hong Kong, China, being only the second Asian city to host the event, the first being Seelong IBC, Malaysia, in 2007.
For results from day one, current standings and tomorrow’s live scoring.
For more information regarding event, contact: Neil Dalrymple, CEO, World Bowls, [email protected]
Author: Ceris Hewlings, World Bowls media officer
