PETALING JAYA: National bowler Esther Cheah ended her campaign in the inaugural World Singles Championships at the Galactica Bowling Centre in Limassol, Cyprus, with a bronze medal after being edged by eventual gold medallist Kelly Kulick of the United States in the semi-finals.

Esther, the only national bowler left in the mix after the others fell by the wayside, lost 212-207 to Kulick.

Her failure to connect strikes in the opening frames led to her downfall as she needed a strike in the final frame to win.

However, a stubborn pin refused to fall for Esther while Kulick struck home for the win.

Hard luck: Esther Cheah was beaten 212-207 by American Kelly Kulick in the last four.

“It was a close one all the way with Kulick. I think the spare in the third frame cost me a bit because I could have gone further ahead,” said Esther from Limassol yesterday.

“But I never gave up until the last frame, when both of us needed to strike home to win. I could have won if I didn’t miss in the last frame.”

Kulick went on to win the title after defeating Diana Zavjalova of Latvia 228-226 in the final.

In the second elimination round earlier, Esther overcame Venezuela’s Karen Marcano 3-1 to book a spot in the quarter-final against Shannon O’Keefe of the US.

Esther took the fight to her American opponent to win 3-2.

Malaysia’s challenge in the men’s competition ended in the quarter-finals when Mohd Syafiq Ridhwan Abdul Malek lost to Colombia’s Andres Gomez 1-3.

Mohd Syafiq, who topped the qualifying on Sunday, had earlier beaten Tore Torgersen of Norway 3-2 in the second round.

Zulmazran Zulkifli, meanwhile, lost 3-2 to Ameri­can Chris Barnes in the second round.

In an all-American men’s final, Barnes beat Tommy Jones 212-198 to emerge champion.

MEN Elimination 2: Mohd Syafiq Ridhwan Abdul Malek (Mas) bt Tore Torgersen (Nor) 3-2; Andres Gomez (Col) bt Mohd Kamel (Kuw) 3-0; Chris Barnes (US) bt Zulmazran Zulkifli (Mas) 3-2; Khaled Al Dossari (Brn) bt Mat Miller (Eng) 3-0; Martin Paulsson (Swe) bt Thomas Gross (Aut) 3-2; Osku Palermaa (Fin) bt Oliver Leroy (Bel) 3-0; Stuart Williams (Eng) bt Mak Cheuk Yin (Hkg) 3-0; Tommy Jones (US) bt Thomas Larsen (Den) 3-0.

Quarter-finals: Gomez bt Syafiq 3-1; Barnes bt Khaled 3-0; Palermaa bt Paulsson 3-0; Jones bt Williams 3-1.

Semi-finals: Barnes bt Gomez 246-244; Jones bt Palermaa 259-199.

Final: Barnes bt Jones 212-198.

n WOMEN

Elimination 2: Kelly Kulick (US) bt Wendy Kok (Ned) 3-0; Joline Persson-Planefors (Swe) bt Sue Abela (Mlt) 3-2; Esther Cheah (Mas) bt Karen Marcano (Ven) 3-1; Shannon O’Keefe (US) bt Isabelle Rioux (Can) 3-2; Diana Zavjalova (Lat) bt Rebecka Larsen (Swe) 3-1; Clara Juliana Guerrero (Col) bt Luminita Farkas (Rou) 3-1; Aseret Zetter (Mex) bt Britt Brondsted (Den) 3-0; Krista Pollanen (Fin) bt Alena Korobkova (Rus) 3-2.

Quarter-finals: Kulick bt Persson-Planefors 3-2; Esther bt O’Keefe 3-2; Zavjalova bt Guerrero 3-2; Zetter bt Pollanen 3-2.

Semi-finals: Kelly bt Esther 212-207; Zavjalova bt Zetter 237-212.

Final: Kulick bt Zavjalova 228-226.

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