Sue Abela got Malta's participation at the XI Mediterranean Championships off to an excellent start yesterday after she won a gold medal in the ladies' singles.

Living up to her reputation in bowling circles as the 'Queen of the Mediterranean', Abela produced a brilliant display in Chania, Crete to finish top of the 17-strong entry field.

Abela started off with games of 199, 185 and 196, and then improved in the second half of the session to pull off a matching pair of 235's, and a 226 for an excellent 1,276 total (212 ave), just nine pins ahead of main rival Natassa Rovithaki from Greece.

Promising youngster Tiziana Carannante finished 16th in this, her first experience of these championships, in which nine Mediterranean nations are taking part: Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Italy, San Marino, Spain, Turkey and Malta.

Apart from Abela and Carannante, the Maltese contingent also features Paul Baldacchino and Dennis Mercieca.

After 10 editions of the tournament, Malta currently tops the medals table with 22 golds. Greece are second with 20 gold medals.

Malta hosted the Med. Championships on two occasions, the last time in 2005 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Malta Tenpin Bowling Association.

The tournament continues with the men's singles, the men's and ladies' doubles events, team event, and then the masters finals which will bring the championships to a close tomorrow.

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