2024 Oceania Challenge: Day 3 recap
The Right at Home Australian Performance Pathways team has been awarded more medals on the penultimate day of the 2024 Oceania Challenge with gold in the men’s fours and silver in the women’s event.
After forging their way through to the knockout round on Friday, Joseph Clarke, Beau Prideaux, Jack McShane and Cohen Litfin were tasked with facing Tonga in their opening contest of the day in New Zealand.
In a brilliant display, the Australians triumphed 7-3 11-2 to set up a showdown with Aotearoa Māori in the decider as the team looked for its second gold of the campaign.
In a tight first set, the green and gold managed to find some crucial deliveries to hold on by a shot before running away with the second to win 8-7 11-4 record their first medals at an international level.
It continued sensational form in New Zealand for Litfin, who backed up his Division One Burnside Pairs title from 2023.
The women’s fours saw Sophie Kurzman, Kate Argent-Bowden, Olivia Cartwright and Chloe Morrison narrowly miss out on the overall title after being defeated by Aotearoa Māori in the gold medal playoff.
Having accounted for Tonga 11-4 11-1 in the semis, the Australians were in sensational form leading into the final but were halted by a sublime outfit that took out the gold 8-1 7-1.
It is also a maiden international medal for all four of the teammates.
The women’s pairs team of Kurzman and Samantha Atkinson ensured their passage through to the semifinals following a pair of wins over Niue and Samoa, setting a showdown with Norfolk Island for a place in the final.
Clarke and McShane were not so fortunate in the men’s pairs, eliminated in the sectional rounds.
In women’s triples action, Cartwright, Argent-Bowden and Morrison maintained their unblemished record to top the section after superb victories against Niue and Samoa.
The trio are set to meet Aotearoa Māori for a spot in the decider.
The men’s triples outfit of Prideaux, Jack Lewis and Litfin would keep their perfect run alive with victories against New Zealand and Niue to book a place against Samoa in Sunday’s semi.
View the results and standings HERE
The 2024 Oceania Challenge runs from November 21-24, 2024, in New Zealand. Live streaming will take place from Friday the 22nd to Sunday the 24th on the Bowls New Zealand YouTube channel.
