Four lawn bowls bets enter gold medal round

ANGELES CITY, Pampanga — The Philippines gained crack at four of the six gold medals up for grabs in the lawn bowls competitions of the 23rd Southeast Asian Games with Ronald Lising staying in the title hunt in the men’s singles despite losing his last elimimination match at the Hidden Vale Sports Club here yesterday.

Lising bowed to Brunei’s Abd Rahman HJ. Omar, 16-21, in the last singles game in the elims but the Filipino bet still earned a shot at the gold medal with a superior standing. Lising, who toted a 3-1 (win-loss) record, faces Malaysia’s Syed Mohamad Syed Akil, who closed out with a 2-2 mark, in the finals set today.

On the distaff side, Maila Witheridge also battled back from a disappointing 6-21 loss to Thailand’s Songsin Tsao last Dec. 1 to blast Malaysia’s Siti Zalina Ahmad, 21-10, and Singapore’s Tan Bee Yian, 21-12, Friday.

She hopes to get back at Tsao when they meet today in the finals of the women’s singles.

Also advancing to the finals were Leo Carreon and Chris Dagpin, who square off with Malaysia’s Fairul Izwan abd Muin and Safuan Said in the men’s pairs, while Ellenita Atkins, Sonia Bruce, and Rosita Bradborn dominated Brunei, 16-8, to arrange a finals match with Malaysia in the women’s triples.

The Filipinos earlier disposed of Noriryani Azmi Azlina Arshad and Norshashimah Ismail of Malaysia, 16-9, to remain unbeaten in three outings.

The women’s pair of Philippine Lawn Bowls Association president Ronalyn Greenlees and Amy Gardoce take on Dy Isah Muntol and Amp HJH Lilimaryani Amp Hj. Salleh of Brunei.

In the petanque event, Mildred Vicente settled for the bronze after losing to Ouk Sreymom of Cambodia in their semifinals match last Dec. 1.