2025 IBF World Championships – Team Australia: Morning Brief Day 3
By Matt Stevens
2025 IBF World Championships – Top Bowl, Kowloon, Hong Kong – Day 3
Australia enters Day 3 of the World Championships with another strong result on the board after the Women’s Singles wrapped up last night in Hong Kong. Following Blake Walsh’s qualification in the Men’s event, Bec Whiting has become Australia’s second athlete to advance to Round 2, delivering a composed, high-quality six-game block to finish inside the Top 32.
With both Singles qualification events now complete, today, round two and the finals will help conclude the Singles event.
What Happened – Women’s Singles Day 2 Recap
The Women’s field brought a similarly fierce scoring pace to the lanes, with momentum swings defining each squad. Australia produced a mix of steady performances, late pushes and learning moments across both groups – highlighted by a standout block from Bec Whiting, who finished 7th in her squad and well inside the Top 32 combined cut.
Now, with the cut decided, Bec moves into today’s Matchplay Group stage as Australia’s second qualifier for the singles event.
Squad 1 – Bec Whiting & Dena Buxton
Bec Whiting -11th Overall (Qualified)
| 209 | 185 | 206 | 225 | 247 | 220 |
- Total: 1,292
- Average: 215.33
- Squad Position: 7th
- Pins behind the Squad Leader: – 100
Dena Buxton – 52nd Overall
| 199 | 194 | 190 | 189 | 188 | 199 |
- Total: 1.159
- Average: 193.17
- Squad Position: 27th
- Pins behind the Squad Leader: -233
Squad 2 – Rebekah Martin & Jamie Phelan
Rebekah Martin – 75th Overall
| 195 | 214 | 178 | 153 | 194 | 168 |
- Total: 1,102
- Average: 183.67
- Squad Position: 36th
- Pins behind the Squad Leader: -335
Jamie Phelan – 95th Overall
| 161 | 174 | 179 | 190 | 163 | 175 |
- Total: 1,042
- Average: 173.67
- Squad Position: 47th
- Pins behind the Squad Leader: -395
Squad 2 – Siarn Ottaviano & Samantha Clifton
Siarn Ottaviano – 99th Overall
| 192 | 177 | 172 | 162 | 172 | 159 |
- Total: 1,034
- Average: 172.33
- Squad Position: 49th
- Pins behind the Squad Leader: -403
Samantha Clifton – 86th Overall
| 147 | 189 | 176 | 190 | 187 | 186 |
- Total: 1,075
- Average: 179.17
- Squad Position: 42nd
- Pins behind the Squad Leader: -362
Summary
- Qualified to Round 2: Bec Whiting
- Blake Walsh + Bec Whiting both through to Round 2 – Group Stage in their respective Singles events.
- Strong consistency across several Aussie athletes despite a high-scoring international field
Australia heads into Day 3 with momentum and two athletes competing in the knockout stages of the Singles event.
🎳 Singles Round 2 & Finals Preview – Day 3
A massive day awaits in Hong Kong as the Singles events move into their decisive Matchplay phase. With both qualification rounds complete, Australia will have two athletes returning to the lanes – Blake Walsh and Bec Whiting, each beginning their seven-game round robin in pursuit of a semi-final berth.
Blake Walsh – Group D (Men’s Round 2)
Blake enters a stacked Group D featuring several seasoned internationals, and big names including Ryan Barnes (USA) – son of PBA legend Chris Barnes. Blake is the second lowest qualifier in the group with Korea’s Ji Guen the top qualifier finishing in 4th position, averaging 238.33 in qualifying.
Group D
| Ji Guen (KOR) | Lukas Jelinek (CZE) |
| Gaetan Mouveroux (FRA) | Ryan Barnes (USA) |
| Joonas JÄHI (FIN) | Blake Walsh (AUS) |
| Ma Ka Yin, Jovi (HKG) | Zhang Min (CHN) |
Bec Whiting – Group C (Women’s Round 2)
Bec lines up in Group C as the third highest qualifier of the group. Another Korean bowler, Kim Bo Ah, the top qualifier finishing in 3rd position averaging 232 in qualifying.
Group C
| Kim Bo Ah (KOR) | Cristina Mas (ESP) |
| Victoria Johansson (SWE) | Megan Gales Dicay (DEN) |
| Bec Whiting (AUS) | Mirai Ishimoto (JPN) |
| Adelia Nur Irwan Syazalee (MAS) | Tay Ning (SGP) |
Both athletes will contest a 7-game round robin in their respective groups, with only the group winners progressing to the semi-finals. Winners of games will be awarded 3 points and 1 point for a draw. The bowler in the group with the most points, advance.
The evening will then see the first medals of the Championships awarded, with both the Men and Women’s Singles titles to be decided through best-of-three semi-finals and finals.
A huge day awaits – and the first opportunity for Australia to push into medal contention.
🗓️Thursday 27 November 2025 – Day Schedule (AEST)
(The times below are AEST e.g. Brisbane. Hong Kong is 2 hours behind Brisbane)
- 09:30-11:00 – Lane Maintenance
- 11:00-11:10 – Warm Up
- 11:10-13:30 – Men Singles Round 2 (Round Robin – 7 Games)
- 13:30-14:30 – Lane Maintenance
- 14:30-14:40 – Warm Up
- 14:40-17:00 – Women Singles Round 2 (Round Robin – 7 Games)
- 17:00-17:30 – Lane Maintenance
- 17:30-17:35 – Warm Up
- 17:35-18:30 – Men and Women Singles Semi-Finals (Best of 3 Games)
- 18:30-18:35 – Warm Up
- 18:35-19:30 – Women Singles Finals (Best of 3 Games)
- 19:30-19:35 – Warm Up
- 19:35-20:30 – Men Singles Finals (Best of 3 Games)
- 20:30 – Medal Ceremony
🇦🇺 Australian Schedule – Singles (AEST)
| Men Singles Round 2 – Round Robin (7 Games) Group D |
| Blake Walsh |
| Lanes 35, 32, 33, 31, 29, 36, 30 |
| Women Singles Round 2 – Round Robin (7 Games) Group C |
| Bec Whiting |
| Lanes 23, 28, 26, 21, 25, 22, 27 |
| Men and Women Singles Semi-Finals (Best of 3 Games) |
| Lanes TBD |
| Men and Women Singles Finals (Best of 3 Games) |
| Lanes TBD |
🎳Singles Event – Format Overview
Round 1- Qualification
All six athletes in each team will bowl six games in one block across 12 lanes. Each game shall be played on a different pair of lanes.
Round 2 – Top 32
- The Top 32 athletes in the final standing after round 1 will qualify for the second round. They will be divided into 4 groups of 8 athletes by seeding and evenly.
- Athletes will bowl 7 games round robin and will be awarded 3 points for a win, and 1 point for a draw
Semi-Finals
- The winner of each group will proceed to the semi-finals, they will be seeded according to their points in Round 2.
- SF1 – 1v4
- SF2 – 2v3
- Best of three games. The winners will proceed to the finals.
- The losers of the semi-finals will each be awarded bronze medals
Finals
- Winner from each semi-final will proceed to the finals
- Final: Winner of SF1 vs Winner of SF2
- Best of three games.
📲 How to Follow
Stay connected with the latest results, recaps, previews, schedules through the Team Australia Hub on the TBA website.
We will now provide a Morning Brief in the morning each day of the Championships.
💚💛 Let’s Go Aussies! 💚💛 Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! 💚💛
