WINDHOEK – South Africa demonstrated why they are the best bowls playing nation on the African continent when their men and women’s teams clinched gold medals in the pairs and triples events respectively in the African States Tournament (AST) underway in Windhoek yesterday.
After the men from the Cape of Good Hope successfully triumphed over their opposition on Wednesday afternoon, their female team mates demonstrated their gold medal pedigree in perfect style yesterday morning in the pairs event. In the triples discipline, the South African ladies had already won before the last round.
Results in last round and final standing of women’s pairs division:
South Africa – Zimbabwe 25:12
Namibia – Kenya 38:07
Botswana – Zambia 11:22
Points Shot difference
- South Africa 10 72
- Zimbabwe 8 51
- Zambia 6 6
- Botswana 4 -12
- Namibia 2 -5
- Kenya 0 -112
Results in last round and final standing in women’s triples division:
South Africa – Zimbabwe 14:21
Namibia – Kenya 10:18
Botswana – Zambia 11:28
Points Shot Difference
1. South Africa 8 65
2. Zambia 6 36
3. Zimbabwe 6 -4
4. Kenya 4 -20
5. Botswana 4 -35
6. Namibia 2 –42
Meanwhile, the Namibian men’s team showed great skill and character over the last three days to win silver medals in both the triples and pairs events. Although both teams lost their last games to South Africa, the hosts’ accumulated points in the previous games were enough to place them second.
In the pairs discipline, both Namibia and archrivals South Africa went into the last game equal on points. This game had to decide who would be crowned the champion of 2013. Both nations displayed world class bowls, giving the fans at the Eros Bowling Club exactly what they went to see. After a nerve-wracking game, Rudi Jacobs and Robert Donnelly from the Cape of Good Hope managed to edge out their Namibian counterparts Jean Viljoen and Will Esterhuizen by 20:12.
Results in last round and final standings of men’s pairs division:
South Africa – Namibia 20:12
Zimbabwe – Kenya 26:12
Botswana – Zambia 15:15
Meanwhile, the Namibian triples trio of Graham Snyman, Ewald Vermeulen and Axel Krahenbühl were under pressure in their final game after they had surprisingly lost to Kenya on Wednesday. A win would see them catch up with the first placed South Africans, where the shot difference would decide the overall winner.
At the same time Kenya had the same amount of points as Namibia, so the hosts had to count on Zimbabwe beating Kenya to avoid them going past Namibia in case they lost. Namibia eventually lost to South Africa by 22:12, but in an interesting and unexpected turn of events Zimbabwe narrowly defeated Kenya by 15:10. All three nations ended up with 8 points, Namibia only clinching the second place due to a better shot difference.
Results of the last round and final standings of the men’s triples division:
South Africa – Namibia 22:12
Zimbabwe – Kenya 15:10
Botswana – Zambia 18:16
Points Shot difference
1. South Africa 12 65
2. Namibia 8 64
3. Zimbabwe 8 35
4. Kenya 8 18
5. Botswana 4 -10
6. Zambia 2 -69
7. Malawi 0 -103
The Namibian men started their quest for medals in the singles and fours disciplines successfully yesterday morning at the Eros Bowls Club. The fours team of Graham Snyman, Ewald Vermeulen, Jean Viljoen and Axel Krahenbühl edged out Zimbabwe 21:14, while Will Esterhuizen narrowly overcame Zimbabwe’s Roy Garden with 21:19 in the singles event.
By Staff Reporter