Leaders' curse still intact; No. 2 Sweden beats No. 1 England to win gold in Boys Doubles

    07/23/08

    2008 World Youth Championships

    Barrett targets gold in All Events, has a 166-pin buffer after 12/18 games

    2008WYCJamesGruffmanKimBolleby.jpg2008WYCDominicBarrettMattHann.jpg Even a Dominic Barrett in top form couldn't escape the leaders' curse at the 10th World Youth Championships at Boardwalk Bowl in Orlando, Florida.

    Four the fourth time in as many events the No. 1 seed did not win the gold medal as No. 2 seeded Sweden with Kim Bolleby/James Gruffman (left, r-l) topped Barrett and Matt Hann (right, l-r), England, who led the Boys Doubles after six game preliminaries, 417-399, to claim the gold medal. Barrett/Hann had to settle for silver.

    2008WYCMarkWongGregoryGan_small.jpg 2008WYCRobertDanSigurdssonHafthorHardarson_small.jpg In the semi-finals Barrett doubled in his 10th frame to shut out No. 4 Robert Dan Sigurdsson/Hafthor Hardarson (right, l-r), who won the first medal in a WYC for Iceland, 438-423. In the other semi-final match, the Swedes defeated third seeded Gregory Gan /Mark Wong (left, r-l), Singapore, 414-366. Iceland and Singapore shared the bronze medal.

    2008WYCDominicBarrett_small.jpg Barrett (right) holds a dominating lead in All Events after 12 of 18 games with 2833 pinfall total and an average of 235.25 behind a record performance (1494) in doubles on Monday.

    2008WYCFredrikTjernes_small.jpg Fredrik Tjernes, who lost to Barrett in the Singles final on Saturday, is 166 pins behind in second place with 2657 (221.42). Defending Masters champion Mads Sandbækken moved to third place with 2648 (220.67).





    10th World Youth Championships - Boys Doubles


    2008WYCBoysDoublesTop4.jpg Championship Round:
    1. Kim Bolleby/James Gruffman, Sweden
    2. Matt Hann/Dominic Barrett, England
    3. Gregory Gan/Mark Wong, Singapore and Robert Dan Sigurdsson/Hafthor Hardarson, Iceland

    Semi-finals:
    Match 1: #1 England (Matt Hann 226/Dominic Barrett 212) def.
    #4 Iceland (Robert Dan Sigurdsson 224/Hafthor Hardarson 199), 438-423
    Match 2: #2 Sweden (Kim Bolleby 213/James Gruffman 201) def.
    #3 Singapore (Gregory Gan 194/Mark Wong 172), 414-366

    Title Match:
    #2 Sweden (Kim Bolleby 202/James Gruffman 215) def.
    #1 England (Matt Hann 200/Dominic Barrett 199), 417-399.


    All Events after 12 games


    Interview with Kim Bolleby and James Gruffman





    England, Sweden, Singapore and Iceland to bowl for Boys Doubles title at WYC


    2008WYCWooWongGanFoo.jpg Squad 1 leaders Matt Hann and Dominic Barrett, England and Sweden's Kim Bolleby and James Gruffman remained atop the leaderboard in the Boys Doubles competition en route to earn the No. 1 and 2 seeds for the finals in the 10th World Youth Championships in Orlando, Fla.

    Barrett/Hann set a new championship record with 2790 six-game total, while Bolleby/Gruffman totaled 2735.

    L-R Coach William Woo, Mark Wong, Gregory Gan and coach Mervyn Foo.

    Gregory Gan and Mark Wong from Singapore led Squad two with 2690 including a high game of 510 (Gan 233, Wong 277) to grab the No. 3 seed and en route to meet the Swedes in the semis.

    Robert Dan Sigurdsson and Hafthor Hardarson will win the first medal in a World Youth Championship for Iceland. The duo, which checked in with 2665, will meet tournament leader England in the other semi-final.


    Boys Doubles - Standings after 6 games on short oil (Squad 1 and 2)


    The top 4 advance to the finals.

    Squad 1 results
     Squad 2 results
    All Events after 12 games