Bowls: Kiwi women hang in there for bronze

Val Smith and Sharon Sims won bronze for New Zealand at the Asia Pacific bowls championships in Melbourne, defeating the United States in the women's pairs third and fourth playoff yesterday.

The Kiwis dominated the first set, winning 7-1, but faltered in the second, losing 11-1.

The match was forced into a tie-break, where the Kiwi women dominated, winning the three-end decider 2-1 and the bronze medal.

Skip Sharon Sims says patience got them through.

"We just hung in there; it was quite difficult coming out from having lost this morning's match to Aussie in the semis. We lost the plot in the second set, but managed to come back in the tie-break and play some good bowls."

Sims says the pair, although happy with the result, were disappointed they did not make the final.

"It was always going to be tough meeting the Aussies in the semis. I haven't had a bronze before, though; don't know if I like it that much."

Australia were to play the Philippines in the final last night, and the men's final was to be between Australia and Malaysia.

New Zealander Ali Forsyth beat his Chinese opponent 15-3, 12-6 in his round-six singles match.