HISTORY-MAKER Alex Kley has become short-mat bowls world champion after a sensational triumph in Aberdeen.
Kley’s success makes him the first person to hold the Grand Slam of national, British Isles and world titles simultaneously – and all at the age of 22.
Dorset champion Kley, from Child Okeford, finished runner-up in his group and battled to victory in the semi-finals and final by a single points.
Kley works as a greenskeeper at Wareham Golf Club and plays for club side Carey SMBC.
He suffered only one defeat in his group, losing 19-11 to Welsh star Michael John.
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However, he defeated Scotland’s Robert Lanza 20-6, Belgium’s Pieterjan Stevens 14-7, Sweden’s Jorgen Karlsson 14-11, Canada’s Travis Anderson 16-6, Ireland’s Sean Breen 13-11, the Isle of Man’s champion 18-9 and Germany’s Mike Dwilling 21-9 to book a semi-final spot.
He was placed up against the other group’s winner Arwel Owain-Morgan, of Wales, in the semi-finals and scrapped to a 13-12 success to clinch his final spot.
Kley again faced John and this time it was a much closer contest than the group game as the match went all the way to a tie-breaker extra end play-off.
Nerves were shredded with the winner being decided by an umpire’s measure and Kley was handed the verdict to secure a 11-10 win.
Kley successfully defended his national singles title in Melton Mowbray which gives him the opportunity to defend his British Isles singles title in Wales in November.
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