Jul 06, 2026 | By Karolis Murauskas

International

World Youth Bowling Championships End With USA and Malaysia Gold Rush

Terence Yaw, ABF Online

World Youth Bowling Championships End With USA and Malaysia Gold Rush

Jul 06, 2026 | By Karolis Murauskas

Terence Yaw, ABF Online

International

The World Youth Bowling Championships came to a close in Kuching, Malaysia, with seven gold medals decided on the final day.

After more than a week of competition at Sarawak Megalanes, the last day brought titles in singles, doubles, team and mixed team events. USA and Malaysia finished the championship with some of the biggest moments, while Sweden, Finland and Australia also left with world titles.

For the home crowd, the final day gave Malaysia two gold medals. For Team USA, it brought gold in girls' singles and girls' team, along with several more podium finishes.

Singles

Sweden's Emil Svensson won the boys' singles title after defeating Australia's Julian Dinham 2-1 in the final.

Svensson started stronger, taking the first game 227-212. Dinham answered in Game 2 with a 231-220 win to force a decider, but Svensson saved his best game for the finish. The Swedish bowler closed the match with 264-190 to win the world title.

Dinham took silver for Australia, while Ben Pettit of New Zealand and Landin Jordan of the United States earned bronze after losing in the semifinals.

In girls' singles, the final was all Team USA.

Katelyn Abigania defeated teammate Gianna Brandolino 2-0 to win the gold medal. Abigania took a tight opening game 245-237, then pulled away in the second game with a 247-212 win.

The result gave USA both gold and silver in girls' singles. Singapore's Shi En Lim and Hazel Tan Wei Ning earned bronze.

Emil Svensson and Katelyn Abigania on the podium after winning boys' and girls' singles gold at the World Youth Bowling Championships
Emil Svensson and Katelyn Abigania celebrate their singles gold medals in Kuching. Photo credit: Terence Yaw, ABF Online

Doubles

Finland won the boys' doubles title through Roni Leskinen and Juho Vuoppola.

The Finnish pair defeated Qatar's Abdulrahman Al Doseri and Talal Al Marri in two straight Baker games, winning 232-216 and 224-199. Qatar finished with silver after a strong run to the final, while Germany and Team USA took bronze.

In girls' doubles, Malaysia gave the home fans one of the biggest celebrations of the championship.

Adelia Nur Irwan Syazalee and Adania Mohd Redzwan defeated Team USA's Erin Klemencic and Elizabeth Teuber 2-0 in the final. The Malaysian pair opened with a 244-181 win, then held on in Game 2 with a 207-201 victory to secure gold.

The win gave Malaysia its first gold medal of the final day. USA took silver, while Sweden and Finland earned bronze.

Roni Leskinen, Juho Vuoppola, Adelia Nur Irwan Syazalee and Adania Mohd Redzwan on the podium after winning doubles gold at the World Youth Bowling Championships
Finland's Roni Leskinen and Juho Vuoppola with Malaysia's Adelia Nur Irwan Syazalee and Adania Mohd Redzwan after their doubles gold medal wins. Photo credit: Terence Yaw, ABF Online

Team

Australia won the boys' team title after defeating Czech Republic 2-0 in the final.

Blake Walsh, Jackson Buckingham, Julian Dinham and Nicholas Rajkovic started with a close 240-237 win, then finished the match with a stronger 249-192 victory in Game 2.

It was a big finish for Dinham, who had already won silver in boys' singles earlier in the day. Czech Republic took silver, while Qatar and USA earned bronze.

In girls' team, the United States added another gold medal.

Katelyn Abigania, Erin Klemencic, Gianna Brandolino and Elizabeth Teuber defeated Singapore 2-0 in the final, winning 201-181 and 199-189.

For Abigania, it completed a huge final day after her girls' singles gold. Brandolino also added team gold to her singles silver, while Klemencic and Teuber bounced back from silver in doubles by winning the team title.

Singapore took silver, while Malaysia and Australia earned bronze.

Australia's boys' team and Team USA's girls' team celebrating gold medals at the World Youth Bowling Championships
Australia's boys' team and Team USA's girls' team celebrate their gold medals in Kuching. Photo credit: Terence Yaw, ABF Online

Mixed Teams

Malaysia closed the competition with another gold medal, this time in mixed team.

Ethan Damien Goh, Muhammad Aiman Syahin Sulaiman, Adania Mohd Redzwan and Adelia Nur Irwan Syazalee defeated Finland 2-0 in the final.

Malaysia dominated the opening game 255-180, then finished the job with a 222-209 win in Game 2.

For Adelia and Adania, it was their second gold medal of the day after winning girls' doubles. Finland took silver, while Sweden and Germany finished with bronze.

Malaysia's mixed team celebrating gold medal win at the World Youth Bowling Championships
Ethan Damien Goh, Muhammad Aiman Syahin Sulaiman, Adania Mohd Redzwan and Adelia Nur Irwan Syazalee celebrate Malaysia's mixed team gold. Photo credit: Terence Yaw, ABF Online

The final day brought a fitting close to the championship. USA, Malaysia, Finland, Sweden and Australia all won gold, and several players left Kuching with more than one medal.

For a new generation of bowlers, the World Youth Bowling Championships became the week they moved from promising talents to world champions.

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