Hwang Sun-Ok (pictured left), Korea captured her fourth gold medal in the 16th Asian Games bowling competition when she was able to weather a strong charge by Cherie Tan (right), Singapore to win the title in Women's Masters.

Third seeded Tan started the three-player stepladder finals with a stunningly ruthless 266-191 victory over Hwang's compatriot, defending champion Choi Jin-A. Tan carried the momentum into the two-game total pinfall finale and posting a 258 just to trail Hwang by 20 pins as the Korean opened with a huge 278 game.

Both players could not match their vigorous pace in the second game. Tan rebounded with a 214-204 but Hwang maintained a ten-pin lead to secure the title, 482-472.

Hwang, has all three individual titles (Masters All Events and Singles) and was a member of the gold medal winning five-player team. She added a silver medal in trios and would have medaled in all six disciplines but the Asian Games rules denied the Koreans a medal sweep in Doubles.

Tan received the silver medal, her second after the gold medal in Trios. Jin-A (left) added the bronze medal to her two gold (Doubles, Team) and two silver medals (Trios, All Events).

The Korean women once again dominated the competition and underlined their position as the world's best bowling nation. The Korean women now hold all three major international team titles including the World Championships, Asian Championships and Asian Games.

Hwang Sun-Ok, Choi Jin-A and their team mates Hong Su-Yeon, Son Yun-Hee, Jeon Eun-Hee and Gang Hye-Eun won nine out 18 medals to lead the women's medal tally with 5 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze. Singapore has won the remaining gold medal plus two silver and one bronze. Indonesia had one silver, China got three bronze and the Malaysian women walked away with one bronze medal.

As the Korean men also led their medal tally, Korea was clearly the best country in the 16th Asian Games bowling competition winning eight gold medals, five silver medals and two bronze medals or a total of 15 medals.

Malaysia was second with two gold, one silver and one bronze. Singapore was third with one gold, three silver and one bronze, while the Philippines were fourth with one gold and one bronze medal.

Kuwait had two silver medals while Japan and Indonesia had one silver medal each. China got four bronze medals and Qatar and Hong Kong walked away with one bronze medal each. 10 out 17 countries shared the medals.

The top 16 in All Events but maximum two players per country advanced to the Masters finals which will conclude the bowling competition of the 16th Asian Games on Wednesday.

75 women from 14 countries - Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Macau, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and the host country China - participate in the 16th Asian Games bowling competition at Tianhe Bowling Hall in Guangzhou, China to bowl for gold, silver and bronze medals in Singles, Doubles, Trios, five-player Team, All Events and Masters.

 

16th Asian Games - Women's Masters Stepladder Finals

Tianhe Bowling Hall in Guangzhou, China (Nov. 15-24, 2010)

Championship Round:
1. Hwang Sun-Ok, Korea, 482 (2 games)
2. Cherie Tan, Singapore, 738 (3 games)
3. Choi Jin-A, Korea, 191 (1 game)

Playoff Results:
Semifinal Match: #3 Tan def. #2 Choi, 266-191
Title Match: #1 Hwang (278+204) def. Tan (258+214), 482-472.

 

Pos	Country	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1.	Korea	5	3	1
2.	Singapore	1	2	1
3.	Indonesia		1
4.	China			3
5.	Malaysia			1

 

16th Asian Games bowling competition - Overall Medal Tally

Pos	Country	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1.	Korea	8	5	2
2.	Malaysia	2	1	1
3.	Singapore	1	3	1
4.	Philippines	1		1
5.	Kuwait		2
6.	Japan		1
(tie)	Indonesia		1
8.	China			4
9.	Qatar			1
(tie)	Hong Kong			1

Note: Japan and Singapore shared the silver medal in Men's Doubles