Aaron Kong, the Malaysian anchor, struck out in his 10th frame, to give his team a one-pin lead after the first three game block on long oil in the 4-player team event in the 10th World Youth Championships in Orlando, Florida.

Nur Aiman, Syafiq Ridhwan, Adrian Ang and Kong had games of 911, 821 and 863 to lead the field of 44 countries at the halfway point with 2595 pinfall total and an average of 216.15.

L-R Block 1 leader Malaysia with Ang, Aiman, Kong and Syafiq.

Junior Team USA with John Szczerbinski, Adam Martinez, Dean Richards and Matt O'Grady who led after game 1 and 2 sit in second place with 2594 and an average of 216.17.

Many people say this is a better place to win the gold medal than being the top seed as the tournament leaders in Boys and Girls Singles and Doubles failed to win gold thus far.

L-R Martinez, Richards, O'Grady and Szczerbinski

Third place belongs to the Finnish team with Magnus Lönnroth, Juhani Tonteri, Joonas Jehkinen and Joonas Jähi with 2514 (209.50) with Norwegians Fredrik Tjernes, Martin Olsen Svein Åke Ek and Mads Sandbækken in fourth at 2480 (206.67).

The Boys are done for today and will return on Wednesday at 12.30 for the final 3-game block on short oil. The top 4 teams will advance to the finals starting at 5 p.m. with the semis: No. 1 bowls No. 4, No. 2 meets No. 3 in a one-game semi-final. The winners bowl for gold and silver in another one-game match, while the losers share the bronze medal.

Singles champion and Doubles silver medalist Dominic Barrett, England, who had 642 in the team event today, has almost secured the gold medal in All Events. With just 3 games to go, Barrett leads the field of 194 bowlers with 3465 15-game total and an average of 231.00.
Trailing Barrett by 171 pins to sit in second place is Mads Sandbækken from Norway. The defending Masters champion, who landed in fourth place in All Events two years ago has felled 3294 pins (219.60).

Singles bronze medalist Jaime Eduardo Gonzalez, Colombia, moved into third place with 3279 (218.60). Finn Joonas Jehkinen, who posted the field-best 709 3-game series today, leapfrogged to 7th place with 3245 (216.33).


All Events after 15 games