11th September, Kuala Lumpur: A tearful Mika Luoto was acknowledged the 2003 World Championship singles champion here tonight as none of the players on the last squad was able to beat the lithe Finn's score of 1,427, an all-time record for the Championship.

The 34-year-old bowling center proprietor from Havinkaa was truly overwhelmed when informed that he had won the gold medal, especially as he is also the current AMF Bowling World Cup champion. "I never dreamt that my score would stand up through the day. I bowled on the first squad and had the agony of having to watch the other three squads before my medal was confirmed," he said.

Mika's team coach is his cousin, Sami Luoto, and they have identical twins as fathers.

"I got into real trouble in my third game, only bowling 166, but that could easily have been as low as 140," he added. "I talked to Sami and we worked out a new strategy which worked out well. I came back with a 289, 277 and 231, which gave me the new record score."

Mika is now confident of some good scores in the following doubles, trios, five-man team for a good all-events total and a place in the finals next weekend. Then he has to fly half way round the world to Honduras to defend his AMF Bowling World Cup title.

The ubiquitous Tim Mack of the United States clinched the silver medal, just 15 pins aback of the Finn and Duane Camacho of Guam took bronze with 1,401. The Nordic countries were well in contention as Anders Ohman of Sweden came into fourth place and Norway's Tore Torgersen was fifth.

For further information, please contact Media Director, Keith Hale at KEITHHALE679@aol.com , media@mtbc.org.myor via the World Championships Media Room Phone +60 37492 0901.