New Zealand guaranteed to win three more medals
New Zealand is guaranteed to win three more medals after a successful final day of match play at the world bowls championships yesterday.
In drizzly Christchurch conditions, the men’s four, women’s pair and men’s singles won their sections to advance straight to the semifinals, guaranteeing them at least a bronze medal.
After bagging three bronze medals during the first week of the championships, New Zealand will finish with six. But whether or not there is a sprinkling of gold or silver amongst the bronze is the big question.
Led by skip Ali Forsyth, the Blackjacks men’s four, which also includes Mike Nagy, Mike Kernaghan and Blake Signal, won all three games yesterday to finish a perfect 9-0.
Their 36-4 win against South Africa and 23-17 win against second-placed Scotland sealed the first seed with a match to spare, before they beat Wales 14-13 in their final match.
Forsyth has already won three bronze medals since 2012, but will want nothing more than to nab one of a different variety as the championships near their climax.
Kernaghan (pairs), Nagy and Signal (triples) won their first medals last weekend.
Jo Edwards and Angela Boyd ensured the New Zealand’s women’s pair joined the men’s four in the semifinals with a comfortable 17-7 win against Israel in round eight.
While they did slip up in round nine, losing 22-15 to England, the No 1 seed was already tied down. Edwards is on the prowl for her third gold medal in the women’s pair, having previously won it all in 2004 and 2008.
She had to settle for silver four years ago, and her bronze medal in the singles last week means she will walk away from the championships with five medals to her name.
Kiwi Shannon Mcilroy won all three of his games yesterday to finish 8-1 and nab a spot in the semifinals.
Walshman Jonathon Tomlinson also finished 8-1, but Mcilroy advanced as the top seed courtesy of a 64-42 advantage in the points for and against tie-breaker.
Mcilroy won bronze in the singles four years ago, and also snared bronze as skip of the men’s pair last week.
Despite winning all three games yesterday, New Zealand’s triple of Val Smith, Kirsten Edwards and Katelyn Inch missed out on the playoffs after finishing fourth.
After edging Philippines 13-11 in round seven, they beat Norfolk Island 13-12 to improve to 5-3, and finished with a 16-13 win against Spain.
But they needed South Africa to slip up to earn a spot in the top three. It didn’t eventuate.