The Singles events at the IBF World Championships 2025 came to a close today in Hong Kong, and Finland delivered one of the strongest performances in championship history.
Both gold medals went to Finnish athletes, with Luukas Väänänen winning the men’s title and Essi Pakarinen capturing the women’s gold.
In the women’s division, Finland’s Essi Pakarinen secured the gold medal with two decisive games in the final against Malaysia’s Adelia Nur Irwan Syazalee.
Pakarinen posted games of 217-191 and 214-169, completing a clean 2–0 victory.
Nur earned the silver after reaching the final with a 2–1 semifinal win over
Singapore’s Shayna Ng Lin Zhi. The bronze medals went to Ng and Team USA’s
Breanna Clemmer, who fell 2–1 to Pakarinen in the semifinals but produced
highest game in the semifinals with a 266 in Match 2.
After securing the women’s singles gold, Essi Pakarinen shared her reaction with BowlingLife. She reflected on the years of work behind this moment and the mental approach that carried her through the final rounds.
"It is unbelievable. I have worked so hard for this for a few years. And now I have the gold in my hands. I think the biggest key to this gold medal was minding my own game and focusing all my energy on shooting a good shot one at a time."
Despite Finland’s strong results today, celebrations will have to wait, as the team now turns its attention to the upcoming events.
"Of course our team had a huge day today but tomorrow is a new day and we need to focus on the future. Maybe some celebrations when I get back to Finland but now all focus on what is ahead."
Men's Division
The men’s final became an all-Finnish matchup between Tomas Käyhkö and Luukas Väänänen. Käyhkö opened the match strongly with 247-227 win, but Väänänen responded under pressure with a brilliant performance in the last two games, posting 258-242 and 246-236 to seal a 2–1 victory and claim the gold.
Käyhkö and Väänänen had each advanced through competitive semifinals, with Väänänen defeating Ryan Barnes of the United States and Käyhkö overcoming Sweden’s Markus Jansson. Barnes and Jansson earned the bronze medals.
After winning the men’s singles gold, Luukas Väänänen also spoke with BowlingLife, describing the breakthrough moment he had been chasing for years. He highlighted how his mental game and calm approach allowed him to stay in control during the final against Ryan Barnes and Tomas Käyhkö.
"It feels unbelievable, but soo good. I’ve been close to get that big win with many podium places in big tournament and now I get it. I’m just so happy about my performance on the lanes. Mental game and all was perfect. I didn’t take any extra pressure to play against Ryan and Tomas. Just focused making one good shots and it worked pretty well."
Väänänen also reflected on Finland’s strong start to the championships and expressed confidence in what the team can still achieve.
"3 medals with 2 gold and 1 silver is grazy start for the championships. We have really strong team in mens and womens, I think we will take more than those 3 medals back to he."
The IBF World Championships 2025 continue tomorrow with the start of the Doubles medal rounds. Full results, live scores, and schedules are available at tournaments.bowlinglife.eu.
Official Schedule – IBF World Championships 2025
Friday, November 28
Women’s Doubles QualifyingSaturday, November 29
Men’s Doubles QualifyingSunday, November 30
Men and Women Doubles Round 2Men and Women Doubles Semifinals
Men and Women Doubles Finals
Monday, December 1
Men’s Trios QualifyingMen’s Trios Round 2
Tuesday, December 2
Women’s Trios QualifyingWomen’s Trios Round 2
Wednesday, December 3
Men and Women Team of Five QualifyingMen and Women Team of Five Round 2
Thursday, December 4 – Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Wanchai
Men and Women Trios Semifinals and FinalsFriday, December 5 – Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Wanchai
Men and Women Team of Five Semifinals and FinalsVictory Banquet at Kowloon Shangri-La Hotel
