| Event
date |
November 4 - 10 2001 |
| Event
venue |
PS Bowling Centre, Pattaya, Thailand
|
NACHIMI
ITAKURA AND KIM HAUGEN WIN 2001 AMF BOWLING WORLD CUP TITLES
Nachimi
Itakura of Japan and Kim Haugen of Norway won the women's and
men's titles at the 2001 AMF Bowling World Cup in Pattaya, Thailand.
Itakura disposed
of the Philippines Liza del Rosario in two games, 247-224
and 257-224, to become the first Japanese man or woman ever to capture
the Bowling World Cup. Itakura, a 26-year-old resident of Wakayama
City who would like to become a professional bowler, said two motivating
factors that contributed to her victory.
"My mother
was in the crowd today, cheering me on, and I wanted to play well
and give her a victory," Itakura said. "Also, my Japan Bowling Congress
coach told me to come home a winner, so now I can fulfil his request
and bring home Japan's first World Cup."
Haugen, who
went into the arena phase as the No. 8 seed, was nearly perfect
as he scoured the 1999 AMF Bowling World Cup champion Ahmed Shaheen
of Qatar, 238-216 and 290-186. Haugen, 22, follows in the steps
of two other Norwegian World Cup champions, two-time winner Arne
Stroem and the 1994 champion, Tore Torgersen, in capturing
Norway's fourth Bowling World Cup championship.
"What I've
done hasn't really sunk in yet," Haugen said afterward. "I didn't
allow myself to think of a victory even when Shaheen left the 4-6-7-9-10
split in the middle of the final game. I knew that something like
that could happen just as easily to me, and I felt that I had to
keep my mind on my next frame only.
"All week
long, I just wanted to do my best, and it's a wonderful feeling
to know that my best was good enough to win."
The 38th AMF
Bowling World Cup will be held in Riga, Latvia, October 20-26, 2002.
AMF Bowling is the world's largest owner and operator of bowling
centers, and is based in Richmond, Va., USA.
37th AMF
Bowling World Cup
Pattaya, Thailand
Women's Championship
Round - best two of three games:
Nachini Itakura,
Japan, def. Liza del Rosario, Philippines, 2 games to 0 (247-224,
257-224).
Itakura wins
the women's 2001 AMF Bowling World Cup.
Men's Championship
Round - best two of three games:
Kim Haugen,
Norway, def. Ahmed Shaheen, Qatar, 2 games to 0 (238-216, 290-186).
Haugen wins
the men's 2001 AMF Bowling World Cup.
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