2024 World Bowls Junior Indoor Championships: Day 1 recap
It was a perfect start for Australia’s young guns at the 2024 World Bowls Junior Indoor Championships in Hong Kong, with both Kane Nelson and Kira Bourke going undefeated in the mixed pairs discipline, as well as the men’s and women’s singles.
Competitors from 21 countries, all under the age of 26, have converged on Hong Kong Football Club to battle it out for the prestigious titles.
The morning commenced with the mixed pairs, with Capalaba Sports Club’s Nelson and Club Tweed’s Bourke teaming up to take on Guernsey’s Bradley Le Noury and Emily Rich.
The first set was tightly fought, but despite only winning three of the seven ends, the Australians were able to hold on to a 6-5 victory.
The Nelson Bourke duo came out firing in the second set, netting an early 5-0 lead. The Guernsey team rallied to win the next three ends, but it was too late, with Australia taking the set 5-4.
The second mixed pairs match of the day saw the Australians face off with Canada’s Owen Kirby and Bourke’s Club Tweed teammate Emma Boyd.
It was shot for shot in the first set with the two teams unable to be separated, before the Right at Home Jackaroo Nelson and Right at Home Emerging Jackaroo Bourke stormed home in the second set to win 4-4 9-4.
Both Australians continued their winning ways in their solitary singles matches for the day, with Nelson cruising to a 6-3 15-0 triumph over Namibia’s John-Pierre Fouche and Bourke being made to earn her win against Ireland’s Lara Reaney 3-9 7-5 6-0.
Round robin matches continue until Friday, with the quarter and semifinals on Saturday and the grand finals on Sunday.
View the results and standings HERE
The 2024 World Bowls Junior Indoor Championships will take place on December 2-8, 2024. Live streaming will commence for the quarterfinals via the World Bowls YouTube channel.
