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View Full Version : Barnes, Nation look for Team USA's first gold at World Games



onefrombills
07-19-2009, 04:03 AM
KAOHSIUNG, Chinese Taipei - Team USA's Chris Barnes and Stefanie Nation will look to earn the United States its first gold medal in bowling at the World Games starting Monday against a field of the world's top bowlers.

Since the World Games began in 1981, the United States has won two silver and three bronze medals but has been shut out of the gold medals in the event, which is held every four years.

This year's World Games features 46 bowlers from 23 countries, including several past world champions. Each country qualified in their respective zone with the Asian and European zones each sending eight countries, while the American zone will have seven countries represented after Puerto Rico withdrew.

"It would be a great accomplishment to be the first American team or individual to win a gold medal at the World Games," Barnes said. "It's going to be a difficult task, though, as Europe's top player Osku Palermaa (Finland) and Asian No. 1 Remy Ong (Singapore) are in the field. Don't forget that we are also in the home of the origination of the Taipei spinner style of bowling. If the pattern is difficult they will be very difficult to beat on their home turf."

Barnes and Nation will have their first shot at gold Monday when the mixed doubles competition gets underway at Happy Bowling Center. The top three teams after six games will battle in a stepladder final to determine the medalists.

The players' individual scores from the mixed doubles carry forward and are combined with 12 additional qualifying games of singles on Tuesday. The top 10 men and top 10 women after the 18 games advance to round robin match play Wednesday morning. The top three men and top three women then advance to the stepladder finals.

At the last World Games in 2005 in Duisburg, Germany, Team USA's Andrew Cain won the men's singles bronze medal. Vernon Peterson and Darold Meisel each won men's singles silver medals in 1997 and 1989, respectively. For the U.S. women, Patty Ann won a singles bronze in 1989, while Mary Lou Vining also won a singles bronze in 1981. The United States has never medaled in mixed doubles.

Bowling is one of more than 30 sports not currently included in the Olympics that are being showcased in the World Games until July 26. Bowling, along with archery, billiards and bocce, is classified as a precision sport.

In addition to the United States, the American Zone will be represented by Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, Guatemala, Dominican Republic and El Salvador. The Asian Zone will send Chinese Taipei, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, Philippines, China and Hong Kong, while the European Zone countries will be Austria, England, Finland, Germany, Belgium, France, Norway and South Africa.

For more information on the World Games, visit the official Web site of the event at www.worldgames2009.tw.