The reds claim first under 18 gold
The Australian Under-18 Championship finals have started in fantastic style with three states walking away with gold in the first four disciplines to be played out here at Tuggeranong Vikings Club. The South Australian combination of Joshua Studham and Tyson Wilson has claimed gold in the boys pairs this morning in a one-sided affair against Tasmania’s Josh Appleyard and Lachie Sims.
The boys were contesting South Australia’s only gold medal match, but just one shot at a title is all they needed to ensure a trophy was headed back to Adelaide.
The South Australian’s were ruthless in their quest for gold jumping out to a 16-1 lead after just 10 ends much to the delight of their skip Wilson who was playing in the biggest match of his career.
“We started off really well and just kept applying plenty of pressure,” said Wilson.
“Being the only gold medal match we still didn’t feel any added pressure we just wanted to try and bowl well.
“We had a really hard section so we weren’t expecting to make the final so anything we achieved today was a bonus, we’re really happy.”
South Australia collected their second medal of the tournament in the boys triples with Gerrin Jenke, Samual Denton and James Bodnar also defeating Tasmania 18-9 to claim bronze.
The South Australian girls will also leave Canberra with a medal as the fours combination of Rainne Reiger, Katie Roachock, Stephanie Clarke and Lynsey Trenorden defeated Western Australia 17-7.
Australian Open Junior Singles Champion Sophie Young has won the prestigious junior double by claiming the two most coveted events in the same year; Young defeated Victoria’s Tiffany Brodie in what was a clinical expedition in today’s Australian Under-18 girls singles final.
Young displayed experience beyond her years by maintaining her composure for the entire match to hold out Brodie in the middle stages of the game as the Australian Open singles quarter-finalist aimed to claw back the deficit Young had put between them in the opening ends of the match.
The now dual national singles champion went on to win the final 21-13 and has the chance to add a bronze to her collection of medals when she lines up this afternoon alongside Tiffany Murray in the girls pairs against Victoria once more.
In the playoff for bronze Makayla Gibson was the Tasmanian girls only chance of a medal at these championships and she did not disappoint the apple isle, accounting for local hope Jessica Hogan 21-10.
Queensland enjoyed a great morning on the greens claiming gold in the girls fours and singles, silver in the boys triples and bronze in the boys pairs.
The NSW triples combination of Jesse Herbert, Dylan Skinner and Jordan Taylor proved too good for Mitchell Mears, Jacob Nelson and Hayden Vogler claiming gold 14-10 in a high quality final.
Dale McWhinney-Shillington and Nic Gosley made it two medals for the QLD boys defeating Jayden Christie and Joshua Corless in the bronze medal match 19-14.
Brittany Wiley, Taleah Putney, Michaela Bailey-Nelson and Tiffany Murray fought back from 6-12 behind after seven ends to defeat a strong NSW outfit skipped by Kate Davis 21-13.
In the coveted boys singles, Dale McWhinney-Shillington (QLD) will meet Youth Commonwealth Games gold medallist Jono Davis (NSW) in the next round commencing at 11:15am.
