15th October, Kuwait: Canada defeated Korea in the Men's title match to deny them a clean sweep of the Team event at the 2023 IBF World Bowling Championships while the Korean women edged Malaysia in the Women's championship match to win the gold medal.

Topseed Canada edged Korea in the first match of the best-of-three final, 224-221 but was forced into the deciding match after losing 207-235 in the second match. The final match was a closely fought tie up to the fourth frame when Canada took a slender lead with a double in the fourth and fifth frames.

The match drew level after a costly single pin miss by the Canadians. Korea struck twice in the eighth and ninth frame to put pressure on their opponent but Canada kept their nerve to end cleanly with a victory over the Koreans, 204-193.

The nearest Canada ever came near to winning the gold was in the 2018 World Men's Championships in Hong Kong in which they took home the Team bronze. The victory is the first-ever gold they have won.

In the women's division, Korean women proved their prowess by narrowly beating arch-rival Malaysia, 2-1 in the Women's Team title match. Korea won the first match, 211-177 but was pegged back when Malaysia bounced back with a 207-169 win to force the decider.

Malaysia had a much better match with a double in the third and fourth frames and another double in the eighth and ninth frames. All Malaysia needed was to end the match cleanly but was extremely unlucky to be dealth with a split in their final frame.

Korea took full advantage of the chance given to them by rolling three consecutive strikes from frame 9 to edge Malaysia, 214-203 and secured the victory and the gold. The champion had dispatched fourht-seed, China, 2-0 (195-185, 199-193) in the first semi-final match to advance to the final.

Malaysia denied third-seed Singapore, 2-1 (187-248, 255-182, 219-191) to book their place in the final. Korea topped the Round 2 finals with six wins and 18 points. Malaysia tied with Singapore on 15 points a piece. China advance with four wins and 12 points to make the cut.

Team gold medallist, Austyn Ducharme of Canada captured the Men's All Events gold medal with 17 points, awarded from his finishings in the Singles (6 pts), Doubles (5 pts), Trios (5 pts) and Team (1 pt).

Doubles gold and Team silver medallist, Kim Dong Hyeon of Korea took the silver medal with 23 points while Singles gold and Doubles bronze medallist, Darren Ong of Singapore earned the bronze medal with 30 points.

Korea emerged as the federation Women and Men champions with the least points earned in the Singles, Doubles, Trios, Team and All-Events. IBF President, Sheikh Talal Mohammed Al-Sabah and Korean Bowling Federation President, Mr Jeong Suk presented the medals to the Team and All-Events medal winners.

The 15-day World Bowling Championships concluded with Kuwait Bowling Sporting Club hosting a victory banquet at the Holiday Inn Ballroom where the trophies to Korea were presented. A total of 138 men and 72 women from 23 countries participated in this year's event.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Kuwait.