Pee's IBF medal a result of prep work

Singapore has been guaranteed a medal at the International Bowling Federation (IBF) Under-21 World Championships in Sweden, after Colleen Pee topped her group in the matchplay round of the women's singles on Thursday to qualify for the semi-finals.

She was first out of eight bowlers in Group B, having amassed 21 points after winning all seven of her matches. Puerto Rico's Zoriani Reyes claimed the second semi-final spot after beating Sweden's Nora Johansson in a play-off.

The other two semi-finalists are Malaysia's Alyaa Addini Zulamri and American Victoria Varano, whom Pee will meet in the last four next Wednesday.

Losing semi-finalists will get at least a bronze as there is no play-off for third.

Pee, 18, was pleased to get the medal, saying that it was the result of following the tactics she had prepared and staying calm.

"It's a recognition of my hard work and team support. (The key was) sticking to the game plan, keeping a cool mind and focusing on the process," said the Institute of Technical Education College Central student, whose biggest competition before this had been the Asian Schools Championships.

"It is my first U-21 world championships and I was excited and nervous to compete at the world level."

In the women's singles matchplay round, compatriots Arianne Tay was fourth in Group A, while Quek Lu Yi finished seventh in Group B.

Fellow Singaporean Ryan Toh narrowly missed the cut for the men's singles semi-finals.

The 18-year-old had been tied second in Group A along with Malaysia's Ahmad Azriq Izamudin and Norway's Viktor Brentebraten Mortensen.

This resulted in a play-off among the three bowlers.

The Malaysian took the last semi-final spot with 237 pinfalls in the play-off, easily overcoming Toh (214) and Mortensen (205).