Merrien clinches the one world title to elude her

ALISON MERRIEN'S astonishing run of success on the world bowls stage continued at Swansea yesterday, when the Guernsey prodigy added the WIBC women's world indoor singles title to the British crown she lifted in Belfast last month.

'At last,' she exclaimed, after beating 22-year-old Welsh star Kerry Packwood 10-4, 10-9 in the final.

'I can't tell you how much that means to me because it's a title I've been trying to win for years - without much success.'

Although she has won the WIBC mixed pairs title twice - once with Adrian Welch and once with Neal Mollet - Merrien, for some reason, has struggled in the WIBC singles event and had never previously made it to the final.

'This year it was different,' she said with a smile.

'Although I lost to Kerry in the group, I knew I could do it and it was great to get my revenge over her in the final - although it was far from easy.'