2023/24 State Junior Championships – Day 5 Report

by admin

The Junior State Championships concluded on Friday, April 19th, as the State Junior Singles Champions were crowned across the under 18 and under 15 boys and girls categories. This year marked the first inclusion of separate categories for girls and boys in the Junior State Championships, with distinct age groups featuring under 15 and under 18 titles up for grabs.

Friday morning featured the boys under 18 and 15 singles quarter-finals and the girls under 18 and under 15 singles semi-finals. Transitioning from teammates to opponents, Jasmine Smith and Chanel Chakouch faced off in the Under 18 singles competition fresh from their victory in the girls pairs state junior final the previous day. Chanel claimed a hard-fought 21-18 win to secure a spot in the final. In the second semi-final, Manilla’s Tarnee Ingram of Manilla overcame Katie Astley from Merrylands with an impressive scoreline of 21-5, to secure her sport in the final.

In a closely contested final, little separated Chanel and Tarnee in the early stages of the match. As the match progressed Chanel started to open up a lead, however, Tarnee displayed resilience, rallying from a 15-9 deficit to narrow the gap to just two shots at 19-17, keeping herself in contention. With tensions running high in the final couple of ends, the outcome remained uncertain. However, it was Chanel, representing St. John’s, who maintained her composure and held onto her lead to clinch the inaugural title with a final score of 21-18.

In the under 15 girls singles competition, Lily Kirk from Merrylands defeated Hannah Salatnay, while Annabelle Teague from Caragabal emerged victorious against Zoe Davies from Windang, earning themselves a place in the final.

Annabelle Teague showcased impressive skill and determination, claiming the State under 15 girls singles title with a commanding 21-6 win over Lily Kirk. Lily’s commendable performance throughout the State Championship campaign earned her recognition, reaching the final in a fiercely contested age group.

Tim Thorning from Gunnedah secured back-to-back titles winning the under 18 singles final today. In a rematch of last year’s junior open gender singles final, Tim once again faced off against Merrylands’ Tom Rich. The final proved to be a thrilling spectacle, with both boys demonstrating their prowess as worthy finalists. While Tim led for most of the game, Tom Rich remained a formidable opponent throughout. As the match drew to a close, it was Tim who delivered an incredible performance in the end, clinching victory with a remarkable three-shot finish.

To secure his place in the final, Tim faced a tough challenge against on-form Harrison Conroy from Wagga Rules, narrowly edging out his opponent by just a single shot. He then proceeded to face Cael Arneman in the semi-final, securing a more comfortable victory over the Dapto Citizens player to advance to the final. Meanwhile, Tom navigated his way to the final by overcoming Koby Kattau from East Maitland in the quarter-final and Tavis Moran from Warilla in the semi-final.

Jacob Martin from Gunnedah claimed the State u15 boys singles title with an impressive 21-11 win over Tathra’s Charlie McCudden. Both players have been in flying form at the championships all week. Jacob faced Brock Allen from Wee Waa in semi-final and Caleb Blacka from Tathra earlier in the day to progress to the final while Charlie overcame Curtis Brown (Wallerwang) and Noah Jedrzejczyk from Padstow.

As the Junior State Championships come to an end, Bowls NSW would like to thank all participants for their dedication and sportsmanship displayed throughout the week. It has been an incredible week and participants have showcased top-class skill and camaraderie. Congratulations to the winners and finalists for their outstanding performances. Special thanks to Warilla Bowls Club for their ongoing support in hosting this prestigious event.

Click here to view the full event results