Sasaki/Fujii come from behind to win second gold for Japan in Men's Doubles

12/08/09

2009 EAG

Déjà-vu for Korean bowlers, slip out of the medals in last game

2009EAGLogo_small.jpg 2009EAGNobuhitoFujiTomoyukiSasaki.jpgFor the second consecutive day, Japanese bowlers finished strong to claim the gold medal in the 5th East Asian Games bowling competition currently underway at Hong Kong Bowling City in Hong Kong, China.

After Toshihiko Takahashi secured the title in Men's Singles with a 300 game, Tomoyuki Sasaki and Nobuhito Fujii (pictured right, r-l) finished their six-game series with the highest game of the event, 502, en route to jump from 7th to first place to earn the gold medal in Men's Doubles.

The duo had just 1240 after three games but closed out with the field-best 1356 series - both players shot 678 - to finish with 2596 pinfall total and an average of 216.33. Fujii led the team with 1318, the highest individual six-game series of the day, and Sasai added 1278.

2009EAGMenDoublesChineseTaipei.jpgSilver and bronze went to Chinese Taipei (pictured left). Cheng Hsing-Chao and Yang Nien-Hua leaped from 5th to second place to take the silver medal with 2564 (213.67) behind a 461 in the last game.

Their team mates Fang Chih-Nan and Cheng Chao-Yu closed out their set with 422 to leap one spot into third place with 2532 (211.00).

The Japanese and Chinese Taipei efforts came at the expense of Korea and Hong Kong bowlers, who slipped all the way out of the medals in the final game.

Déjà-vu for Choi Ki-Bong, who slipped from first to 4th place in Singles in the last game. Choi and partner Kim Tae-Young also led in Doubles after five games despite starting with a 357. Choi/Kim rebounded with 423, 473, 433, and 453 but had to settle for 6th place with 2512 after a 373 finish.

Singles silver medalist Wu Siu Hong was targeting the second medal for the host country trailing the Korean by just eight pins heading into the final game. Wu and team mate Eric Tseng managed to overtake the Koreans with a 384 game but fell to 5th with 2517.

Third-place Hong Hae-Sol and Jang Dong-Chul, also from Korea, followed in the footprints of Choi/Kim and Wu/Tseng with 387 to fell one spot to 4th with 2517.

Singles champion Toshihiko Takahashi (1229) teamed with Masaaki Takemoto (1169) to land in 15th place out of 20 doubles with 2398 (199.83).

Takahashi fell to fourth place in All Events (combined results of Singles, Doubles, Trios and Team events) with 2675 12-game total. Hong Hae-Sol, Korea, overtook the lead with 2705 and an average of 225.42. Sasaki sits in second place with 2697 with Wu in third at 2688.

The men's bowling competition in the 5th East Asian Games drew 43 players from eight countries, China, Chinese Taipei, Guam, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Macau and Mongolia, who will compete for gold, silver and bronze medals in six disciplines: Singles, Doubles, Trios, 5-player Team, All Events and Masters.

Photos courtesy of Asian Bowling Federation.

 


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5th East Asian Games - Men's Doubles



Individual High Game/High Series:
1 game: Wu Siu Hong, Hong Kong - 263
3 games: Shota Kawazoe, Japan - 721 (240.33)
6 games: Nobuhito Fujii, Japan - 1318 (219.67)

Team High Game/High Series:
1 game: Tomoyuki Sasaki, 257/Nobuhito Fujii, 245, Japan - 502 (251.00)
3 games: Tomoyuki Sasaki, 678/Nobuhito Fujii, 678, Japan - 1356 226.00)
6 games: Tomoyuki Sasaki, 1278/Nobuhito Fujii, 1318, Japan - 2596 (216.33)