RUSTON – Jenna Stretch is set to represent Junior Team USA at the 2024 Youth World Cup in Lima, Peru, from Jan. 21-26 at VIDENA Bowling Center of La Villa Deportiva Nacional.

Over the summer, Stretch guaranteed her spot on Junior Team USA for 2024 by winning the 2023 Junior Gold Championships in Indianapolis. At that time, there was no telling when she would have the opportunity to compete.

Thankfully, the wait wasn't long, as she was notified in the fall that the United States Bowling Congress Team USA Athlete Advisory Council had approved her selection for the Youth World Cup.

"I never want to get ahead of myself, but to even think of the possibility of standing on the podium, hearing the National Anthem, and getting a medal is literally breathtaking to me," Stretch said. "I've always watched the amazing professionals and Team USA bowlers out there winning titles and medals, and to even consider the fact that it could be me is almost unfathomable."

Unlike most international tournaments featuring singles, doubles, trios, and teams, the Youth World Cup is strictly a singles competition, and each nation can only send one boy and one girl to compete.

The action begins at the 2024 Youth World Cup on Jan. 21 with the tournament's official practice sessions and opening ceremony.

Things ramp up from there as competitors in the boys' and girls' division will bowl one six-game block of singles qualifying each day from Jan. 22-24. 

After those 18 games have been completed, each field will be cut to the top 16 players who will advance to round-robin match play on Jan. 25.

Only eight boys and eight girls will survive round-robin play and remain in medal contention when best-of-three-game matches are contested during the quarterfinal, semifinal, and final rounds on Jan. 26, the last day of competition at the 2024 Youth World Cup.

Quarterfinal-round matchups will see the No. 1 seed facing the No. 8 seed, the No. 2 seed battling the No. 7 seed, and so on.

The four quarterfinal winners will advance to the semifinal round, while those that fall will be eliminated.

Once the semifinals are completed, the two winners in each division will advance to bowl for gold and silver. The bowlers who come up short during the semis will square off to decide who takes home the boys' and girls' bronze medals.

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