Team Australia’s Final Stand — A Gold Medal for Samantha Clifton!
By Matt Stevens
What a way to finish the 2025 IBF Youth World Cup.
Blake Walsh and Samantha Clifton delivered an unforgettable campaign for Australia in Helsingborg, Sweden — with Blake fighting his way into the Top 8 finals bracket and Samantha going all the way, defying the odds as the 8th seed to be crowned the 2025 IBF Youth World Cup Female Champion!
While Blake fell just short in the Quarter Finals after a run of near-perfect matchplay, Samantha battled through every high-pressure moment — surviving Stage 2 by just three pins, upsetting the top seeds, and sweeping the Gold Medal match in style.
Here’s how the final day of action unfolded for our two stars.
Blake Walsh — Stage 2 & Quarter Final
Blake returned to the lanes for his final seven matchplay games needing a strong finish to secure a top seed — and he delivered brilliantly.
He was relentless: seven wins from seven games, maximum bonus pins, and calm under pressure. Even in a scrappy fourth game where his score dipped to 171, Blake still found a way to grind out the win.
| Defeated Qasem (KUW) – 235 +30 |
| Defeated D otting (NOR) – 237 +30 |
| Defeated Williams (IRL) – 233 + 30 |
| Defeated Vilhelmsson (ISL) – Lanes 171 + 30 |
| Defeated Saar (EST) – 246 + 30 |
| Defeated Muscat (MLT) – 210 + 30 |
| Defeated Abu Samah (MAS) – 201 + 30 |
He closed Stage 2 with a total of 3,773, including 390 bonus pins from his 13 wins — finishing 3rd overall and earning the #3 seed for the Top 8 finals.
Next up was a Quarter Final rematch against Singapore’s Brian Ngoi, the first of two bowlers to defeat Blake in Stage 2. Blake struggled on the right lane in a tight contest, Blake fell 223–203 in Game 1 and couldn’t recover in Game 2, losing 255–176 to bow out of the World Cup.
Hold your head high, Blake — an incredible run, and you’ve made all of Australia proud! 🇦🇺
Congratulations to Sweden’s Robin Ilhammar who took out the gold, Ondrej Prekop from Czech Republic in silver, and Finland’s Luukas Vaananen who claimed the bronze.
Samantha Clifton — From Last Qualifier to World Champion
Samantha entered her final seven matchplay games just outside the cut line — in 13th, 31 pins behind. True to form, she fought every frame.
She opened with a steady win and, despite three consecutive losses mid-block, stayed calm and consistent. A tie against England’s Jessica Sillis in Game 6 set up a nail-biting finish: Sam needed a big final game and delivered — a clutch 242–236 win over Sweden’s Maja Engberg, leapfrogging back into 8th place by just three pins.
| Lost to Duque (COL) – 203 |
| Defeated Lindemann (GER) – 231 + 30 |
| Lost to Lȍkfors (FIN) – 224 |
| Lost to Weinstok (CRC) – 184 |
| Lost to Banjac (CRO) – 209 |
| Tied with Sillis (ENG) – 183 +15 |
| Defeated Engberg (SWE) – 242 + 30 |
Finishing Stage 2 on 3,207 (with just 135 bonus pins, fourth lowest in the field), Sam had done it the hard way: pure scoring and resilience.
Bracket Run to Gold
The Quarter Final brought a tough rematch with #1 seed Jenny Mathiesen (Norway), who’d defeated Sam easily in Stage 2 (236-182). But the underdog flipped the script:
- ✅ Game 1: 226–204 win
- ❌ Game 2: 148–235 loss
- ✅ Game 3: 242–222 decider — through to the Semis!
Next, Denmark’s Karen K. Nielsen — who also beat Sam in Stage 2 (224-203) — waited in the Semi-Final. Sam struck first (234–185), Nielsen forced a decider (194–171), but Sam’s clean frames and clutch triple strike sealed a 205–190 win, booking her place in the Gold Medal Match.
There, facing Costa Rica’s Elena Weinstok, yet another opponent who defeated Sam in Stage 2, 208-184, the lights were the brightest, and Samantha left no doubt:
- ✅ Game 1: Opened with six straight strikes to win 221–194
- ✅ Game 2: Stayed composed in a lower-scoring duel to win 185–172
And with that, Samantha Clifton — the bowler from Dullboy’s Social Co. in Newcastle — is the 2025 IBF Youth World Cup Female Division Champion.
Congratulations to Elena Weinstok from Costa Rica who claimed silver, and Karen K.Nielsen who finished with Bronze.
Celebration & Thanks
After the medals were awarded, the Aussies returned to the hotel to get ready for the victory banquet — a well-earned celebration. A special mention to Head Coach Cam Walsh who rode every delivery, who guided the team superbly all week — and fittingly got to watch these performances unfold on his own birthday!
Happy Birthday, Coach Cam — and congratulations to Samantha and Blake for a campaign that inspired everyone back home.
What a week. What a team. What a champion. 🇦🇺
Safe travels home team!
