Jackaroos to contest six finals at Asia Pacific Championships
The Australian Jackaroos have earned the right to compete in four more gold medal deciders this afternoon. The Australian Jackaroos have secured passage to four more gold medal matches at the Asia Pacific Championships this afternoon, and will now contend six finals over the next three days.
The green and gold contingent were clinical in their semi-final performances on the Burnside, New Zealand greens this afternoon, with an untarnished record ensuring a berth in all four finals of the second batch of disciplines, to accompany the women’s singles and fours they had already earned last week.
The performance ensures all five females will compete in two gold medal matches and all five males will have the opportunity to strike gold in one decider over the three days of final rubbers.
Three-time international bowler of the year, Aron Sherriff, will contest the blue-ribbon men’s singles final after defeating Malaysia’s Hizlee Rias in today’s semi 21-19, with his December 5 final contender set to be New Zealand’s Mike Kernaghan.
The remaining four men went one step further than they managed in the pairs and triples earlier in the tournament, uniting against Hong Kong China’s Tony Cheung, Terry Kung, Jason Choi, CY Wong in the semi 15-10, to book a spot in the coveted decider, where they will also face the locals in Mike Nagy, Andrew Kelly, Shannon McIlroy and Tweed Head’s Paul Girdler.
The women’s players continued their sublime showing, with each earning a shot at a second gold or silver medal.
Australia’s golden girls Kelsey Cottrell and Karen Murphy upstaged the Philippines’ Sonia Bruce and Ainie Knight 18-16, to lock in a final match against Malaysia’s star-studded team of Emma Saroji and Siti Zalina Ahmad.
Similarly, Carla Odgers, Anne Johns and Natasha Scott continued their scintillating showing on the international stage, eliminating Fiji’s Elizabeth Mocewai, Sheral Mar and Litia Tikoisuva 21-12 to set up a showdown against the Philippines’ Hazel Jaconoy, Ronalyn Greenlees and Rosita Bradborn.
Despite making one less final deciders, the Jackaroos are on track to better their 2011 result, where they claimed two gold, five silver and one bronze medals, having already clinched two bronzes this year in the men’s triples and fours.
Tomorrow will see the women’s fours team of Carla Odgers, Kelsey Cottrell, Anne Johns and Natasha Scott take on USA commencing at 7am AEDT, followed by Australian singles representative Karen Murphy ,who takes on Norfolk Islands Carmen Anderson at 1.00pm AEDT.
Finals fixture:
December 4 – Finals Women’s Fours, Men’s Triples, Women’s Singles
December 5 – Finals Men’s Pairs, Women’s Triples, Men’s Singles
December 6 – Finals Women’s Pairs, Men’s Fours.
Semi-final results:
Men’s singles: Aron Sherriff (Australia) bt Hizlee Rais (Malaysia) 21-19; Mike Kernaghan (New Zealand) bt Kenta Hasebe (Japan) 21-13.
Men’s fours: Australia (Wayne Ruediger, Ray Pearse, Nathan Rice, Mark Casey) bt Hong Kong (Tony Cheung, Terry Kung, Jason Choi, CY Wong) 15-10; New Zealand (Mike Nagy, Andrew Kelly, Shannon McIlroy, Paul Girdler) bt Malaysia (Izzat Dzulkeple, Zulhilmie Redzuan, Fairul Muin, Soufi Rusli) 20-11.
Women’s pairs: Australia (Kelsey Cottrell, Karen Murphy) bt Philippines (Sonia Bruce, Ainie Knight) 18-16; Malaysia (Emma Saroji, Siti Zalina Ahmad) bt Norfolk Island (Petal Jones, Carmen Anderson) 25-16.
Women’s triples: Australia (Carla Odgers, Anne Johns, Natasha Scott) bt Fiji (Elizabeth Mocewai, Sheral Mar, Litia Tikoisuva) 21-12; Philippines (Hazel Jaconoy, Ronalyn Greenlees, Rosita Bradborn) bt New Zealand (Katelyn Inch, Angela Boyd, Sandra Keith) 18-16.
