When Lynda Barnes of Flower Mound, Texas, returned to Team USA three years ago, she had a couple of things she wanted to accomplish before officially finishing her career as a competitive bowler.
One of those goals - winning the team gold medal at the World Championships - is still a work in progress, but another was realized Sunday when she was selected to join the World Bowling Writers Hall of Fame. Barnes and fellow Team USA member Diandra Asbaty are the only two American women to earn the honor.
"It's a little overwhelming," said Barnes, who won U.S. Amateur titles in 1995 and 2005 and has been a member of Team USA 10 times since 1989. "Being selected for the World Bowling Writers Hall of Fame is very much an honor and something I will always treasure."
Barnes, who will begin her quest for a third U.S. Amateur title when the 2007 United States Bowling Congress Team USA Trials begin Monday at the National Bowling Stadium, was selected by earning two-thirds of the votes of the World Bowling Writers selection panel.
In 2005, Barnes, 39, turned in several stellar international performances and was selected as the World Bowling Writers Female Bowler of the Year.
She won the prestigious QubicaAMF World Cup and brought home four medals in the Women's World Championships in Aalborg, Denmark. However, at the World Championships, Barnes and her teammates settled for the silver medal in team event, an event Barnes wants to win before she retires.
"Winning the team gold medal at the World Championships is everything to me," said Barnes, who will get another shot at the 2007 Women's World Championships in Monterrey, Mexico. "It's the reason I came back to start with and it's a goal I know everyone on Team USA shares with me."
Also announced Sunday was the selection of Diandra Asbaty as the 2006 World Bowling Writers Female Bowler of the Year. In addition to winning the 2006 U.S. Amateur title, she won the Malaysian Open and the QubicaAMF World Cup in Caracas, Venezuela, last year.
"There are a lot of great bowlers in the world and to be considered among the best is an incredible honor," Asbaty said. "It's a great feeling to follow in the footsteps of Lynda in winning the World Cup and being selected for this award."
On the men's side, Mexico's Tito Reynolds was selected to join the World Bowling Writers Hall of Fame while Finland's Osku Palermaa (pictured) was chosen as the Male Bowler of the Year.
Pictures and story thanks to Bowlingdigital.com
One of those goals - winning the team gold medal at the World Championships - is still a work in progress, but another was realized Sunday when she was selected to join the World Bowling Writers Hall of Fame. Barnes and fellow Team USA member Diandra Asbaty are the only two American women to earn the honor.
"It's a little overwhelming," said Barnes, who won U.S. Amateur titles in 1995 and 2005 and has been a member of Team USA 10 times since 1989. "Being selected for the World Bowling Writers Hall of Fame is very much an honor and something I will always treasure."
Barnes, who will begin her quest for a third U.S. Amateur title when the 2007 United States Bowling Congress Team USA Trials begin Monday at the National Bowling Stadium, was selected by earning two-thirds of the votes of the World Bowling Writers selection panel.
In 2005, Barnes, 39, turned in several stellar international performances and was selected as the World Bowling Writers Female Bowler of the Year.
She won the prestigious QubicaAMF World Cup and brought home four medals in the Women's World Championships in Aalborg, Denmark. However, at the World Championships, Barnes and her teammates settled for the silver medal in team event, an event Barnes wants to win before she retires.
"Winning the team gold medal at the World Championships is everything to me," said Barnes, who will get another shot at the 2007 Women's World Championships in Monterrey, Mexico. "It's the reason I came back to start with and it's a goal I know everyone on Team USA shares with me."
Also announced Sunday was the selection of Diandra Asbaty as the 2006 World Bowling Writers Female Bowler of the Year. In addition to winning the 2006 U.S. Amateur title, she won the Malaysian Open and the QubicaAMF World Cup in Caracas, Venezuela, last year.
"There are a lot of great bowlers in the world and to be considered among the best is an incredible honor," Asbaty said. "It's a great feeling to follow in the footsteps of Lynda in winning the World Cup and being selected for this award."
On the men's side, Mexico's Tito Reynolds was selected to join the World Bowling Writers Hall of Fame while Finland's Osku Palermaa (pictured) was chosen as the Male Bowler of the Year.
Pictures and story thanks to Bowlingdigital.com
