2024 World Champion of Champions: Day 4 recap
The final day of sectional play at the 2024 World Champion of Champions at Browns Bay Bowling Club saw Laini McGorman and Lee Schraner storm into the finals, with both Australians topping their respective sections.
Adelaide Bowling Club’s McGorman started the day on fire in her tussle against Cyprus’ Caryn Morris, putting on a marvellous display of bowls to run out 10-2 7-6 winner.
Her second match against Teokotai Jim from the Cook Islands proved to be more challenging, with the Cook Islands product determined to qualify for finals.
Going down in the first set, McGorman was able to recover with a 5-8 11-4 5-0 win.
Jim and India’s Nayan Moni Saikia qualified for the quarter finals alongside the South Australian in Section 3, while Tonga’s Milika Nathan and Ireland’s Sarah Kelly qualified from Section 1.
In a tough Section 3, reigning champion Anne Nunes from the United States of America and South Africa’s Anneke Scheepers advanced to the quarter finals by finishing first and second respectively, with England’s Stef Branfield also qualifying after defeating Niue’s Joy Peyroux in a playoff.
McGorman will play Scheepers in the quarter final as she looks for her first international title.
Schraner had a busy day in the men’s singles, continuing his undefeated run and booking his place in the quarter finals.
The New South Welshman found the going tough at stages throughout his match with Norfolk Island’s Ian Lane, but he was able to win his fourth tiebreaker of the tournament to triumph 4-9 9-5 6-0.
Schraner didn’t let up against Spain’s Richard Willey, blowing his Spanish opposition away 15-2 5-3.
In the final sectional match of the day, Macao Chin’s Chi Hong Wong put up a good fight against the Australian, but the Right at Home Jackaroo proved to be too strong, recording a 6-5 5-4 victory.
New Zealand’s Aiden Takarua and Canada’s Pat Bird were the other players to qualify from Section 3.
England’s Lewis King was the only other undefeated bowler in the male draw, topping Section 2.
Other bowlers to advance to the quarter finals were Thailand’s Wattana Kadkhunthod, Malaysia’s Izzat Shameer Dzulkeple, South Africa’s Wayne Roberts and Wales’ Ross Owens who beat Royden Aperau from the Cook Islands in the playoff.
Schraner is no stranger to reaching the pointy stage of the World Champion of Champions, having won gold at the event in 2019 and bronze in both 2018 and 2022.
He is looking to become the first male player and Australian to win the event twice.
The Raymond Terrace Bowling Club product will face Thailand’s Kadkhunthod in the quarter final.
View the results and standings HERE
The 2024 World Champion of Champions runs from November 26-30, 2024, in New Zealand. Live streaming will be on the Bowls New Zealand YouTube channel and the World Bowls YouTube channel.
