Team USA leads Trios event at halftime in Women's World Championships

After a strong showing Sunday, Team USA is in position to make a run at its first gold medal in the trios event in 20 years at the 2007 World Tenpin Bowling Association Women's World Championships.

The Team USA threesome of Lynda Barnes, Tennelle Milligan and Shannon O'Keefe (l-r) took the lead with 1,950 after three games on the long-oil pattern at AMF Bol Obispado. The final three games will be contested Monday on the short-oil pattern to determine the medalists. Click on the image to enlarge it.

"I definitely think we have a shot at winning the gold medal," O'Keefe said. "The three of us have great chemistry, and I had so much fun out there today. It was good to get the long pattern out of the way. We all had really good looks on the short, so I think we will be OK."

Milligan shot 666 to thrust Team USA into the lead. Barnes totaled 645 while O'Keefe contributed 639.

"This is the first time we've played on the long pattern in the tournament, and as you get comfortable, you start making decisions," Team USA head coach Jeri Edwards (pictured) said. "Eventually, because of the versatility of our players, we found the right package that helped us match up. The lanes also transitioned and opened up for us. That gave us more room and loosened up the arm swings. That's when the strikes started flowing."

Three teams are close behind the leaders. Sweden with Helen Johnsson, Malin Glendert and Nina Flack is second with 1,930, Korea with Nam Bo Ra, Choi Jin A and Kim Yeau Jin is third with 1,929 and Denmark with Mai Ginge Jensen, Britt Brøndsted and Kamilla Kjeldsen sits in fourth with 1,918.

The Women's World Championships features 227 athletes from 43 countries competing in six events - Doubles, Trios, Team, Singles, All Events and Masters. Individual totals from Doubles, Trios, Team and Singles (six games in each discipline) are combined to determine the All Events winner. The top 16 in All Events also advance to Masters play.