Spalding’s Ruby Hill represented England at the World Indoor Junior Championships in Hong Kong.
She earned her place by winning the National u25 Singles title earlier this year and took part in the singles event as well as partnering men’s champion Aaron Johnson in the mixed pairs.
In the singles, Hill finished third in her group to book a place in the quarter-finals. She beat eventual finalist Rebecca Rixon from Malta
(5-4, 5-5), Haley Langenstrassen, from Namibia (7-6, 8-8), Ng Pui Tin, from Hong Kong (0-15, 15-1, 3-1), and Adilyn Zeino from USA (11-2, 7-7) but lost against Scotland’s Sophie McGrouther (6-7, 1-12) and Ho Shu En, from Singapore, (8-6, 6-8, 0-5). Her run came to an end in the quarter-final with defeat against Canadian Emma Boyd (8-3, 4-6, 1-2).
In the mixed pairs with Norfolk’s Johnson, who recently lost in the Scottish Open final on the World Bowls Tour, she topped her group thanks to wins against Welsh pair Lauren Gowen and Cory Davies (4-7, 10-8, 2-1), Emily Chan and Adoni Rairoa from Hong Kong and the Cook Islands (7-3, 8-7), and Adilyn Zeino and Angel Gomez from USA (13-2, 13-2) but lost to Luk Man Hei and Man Pok Chung, from Hong Kong, (2-10, 9-6, 1-3).
In the quarter finals, Hill and Johnson beat Canadians Boyd and Owen Kirby (8-2, 6-4) before seeing off Scots McGrouther and Paul Innes in a nail-biting semi-final.
It was decided on the last end of the tie break (5-7, 9-2, 2-1).
In the final, they faced Kira Bourke and Kane Nelson from Australia.
The English pair won the first set but Australia struck back to take the second set and the title break to win the championship (9-6, 3-7, 1-5), leaving Hill and Johnson with silver medals.
n Five stars from Spalding were selected to represent England in 2025 after national trials at Northampton & District Indoor Bowls Club.
Dominic McVittie and Stephen Harris retained their places in the men’s team, as did Hill, Chelsea Spencer and Annie Dunham in the ladies team.
McVittie will play at no.3 in a rink with Shaun Jones, Andrew Walters and Jamie Walker, while Harris will lead a rink with Devon trio Ian Lesley, James Hampton and Robert Paxton. In the ladies team, Hill and Spencer were selected in the same rink at lead and skip, with Chloe Brett and Anna Noble. Dunham will skip her own rink with Emma Cooper, Sandy Hazell and Holly Chaytor. The international series will be played in Wales in March.
