GAMES STAR CHASES ANOTHER BOWLS FINAL WIN
Van Asch to take on Krstic for coveted Australian Open title
TASMANIA’S Rebecca Van Asch will look to secure an elusive national singles title on the penultimate day of the $250,000 Australian Open bowls carnival today.
The Gold Coast greens have been a happy hunting ground for the reigning Tasmanian Athlete of the Year.
She won two gold medals at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in team disciplines – women’s triples and fours – in April but is yet to secure the sport’s blueribbon singles title.
The stoic Van Asch, 30, will contest the coveted
singles final against Australian Jackaroos teammate Kristina Krstic, 24, in a showcase of the generational change the sport has experienced in recent decades.
Van Asch booked a berth in the decider after upstaging the event’s reigning singles and pairs champion Ellen Ryan 21-18 at Club Helensvale yesterday.
Western Australia’s Krstic advanced after ending the hopes of Queenslander Bolivia Millerick, from Broadbeach, 21-13.
The women’s singles final will be staged at Broadbeach Bowls Club from 11.30am.
The men’s showpiece singles event is down to the semi-final stages, with Broadbeach-based Canadian Ryan Bester setting his sights on the silverware after a narrow defeat in 2015.
Standing in his way is 17year old New Zealand spearhead Seamus Curtin, who has cut a swath through the open-age field despite also contesting the junior singles.
In the other semi, dark horse Peter Taylor from Alstonville will face one-time Australian player and current Queensland representative Sean Baker for a spot in the decider tomorrow.
The Australian Open culminates after 14 days of action at Broadbeach Bowls Club, with 13 disciplines’ finals contested across today and tomorrow.
The men’s and women’s singles and pairs finals will be showcased with live broadcasts on SBS and Fox Sports from 11.30am to 4pm both days. Six other finals will be live-streamed on Bowls Australia’s Facebook page.