The Korean women stated the 20th Asian Tenpin Bowling Championships by sweeping the medals in the Singles competition Saturday morning at Hong Kong Bowling City, EMax, Kowloon Bay, Hong Kong, China.

After six games on the short oil pattern (PDF file) Hwang Sun-Ok, Choi Jin-A, Jeon Eun-Hee and Kim Yeau Jin finished first through fourth, while Malaysians Esther Cheah, Shalin Zulkifli and Zandra Aziela had to settle for fifth through seventh place.

The Koreans however dominated the event. Choi Jin-A (right), a powerful lefty with an extremely high back swing and enormous revs, started out commandingly with a 267 game and led the field of 61 women from 12 countries for the first five games.

Despite a 279 in the fifth, her team mate Hwang Sun Ok (left) narrowed the gap with a 290 and closed out the series with 279 to overtake Jin-A (227) by three pins to earn the gold medal.

Sun-Ok had a 1497 six-game total, an average of 249.50, including an 818 series for the final three games. Jin-A had to settle for silver with 1494.

Jeon Eun-Hee (right), seeded fourth after five games, rolled the first 300-game of the championships in the sixth game to overtake team mate Kim Yeau-Jin to help grab the bronze medal with 1479. Yeau-Jin finished fourth with 1448.

Esther Cheah (left) was the best non-Korean bowler in the event in fifth position with 1397 and an average of 232.83.

"I was quite happy with my performance today" said the multiple World Champion afterwards, "unfortunately the Koreans bowled extraordinary. The short oil pattern today is definitely the favorite pattern of the Koreans. I think, I will have equal chances on both pattern (short and long). We will see it tomorrow in the Doubles."

The women are done for today and will return on Sunday morning for the Doubles event starting at 9am.

A total of 168 bowlers from 19 countries - 107 men and 61 women - will compete in the 20th Asian Tenpin Bowling Championships at Hong Kong Bowling City, EMax, Kowloon Bay, Hong Kong, China from July 4-11. The real action will start on Saturday morning July 5, with the women's Singles event (one squad) at 8 am and the men's Singles (two squads) at 1.30 and 6 pm. Compatetion commences with Doubles, Trios, Team of Five and All Events and ends with the Masters finals. It marks the third time that Hong Kong is hosting the prestigious event after 1988 and 2002.