PETALING JAYA: It was a case of so near yet so far for national bowler Adelia Nur Irwan Syazalee as she narrowly missed out on the top prize in the World Championships in Hong Kong on Thursday (Nov 27).
Still, earning a silver medal on her debut marks a milestone she will cherish.
The 18-year-old Malaysian rising star fell to Finland’s Essi Pakarinen in the women’s singles final at the Top Bowl in Kai Tak Sports Park.
Adelia started strongly but was edged out 189–217 in the opening game. Pakarinen then turned up the pressure in the second, sealing the title with a 214–169 win.
Earlier, Adelia showed tremendous grit in a thrilling semi-final battle against Singapore’s Shayna Ng. She triumphed 202–184, 160–164, 230–196 to book her place in the final against the in-form Finn.
Her impressive run began in the round of 32, where she dominated Group C.
Adelia topped the group with 15 points, earning the sole semi-final spot after winning five of her seven matches. She amassed a total pinfall of 1,484.
She finished well ahead of South Korea’s Kim Bo-ah (12 points) and Australia’s Bec Whiting, who placed third.
