By GENE J. KANAK
USBC Communications
Jordan Snodgrass and Crystal Elliott held off a late challenge from Canada to capture the Women’s Doubles gold medal Thursday at the 2026 PANAM Bowling Champion of Champions in Costa Rica.
The American duo topped the 11-team field at the Bowling Center of the Costa Rica Country Club in San Jose with a combined 3,533, an average of 220.8 over 16 games, to finish 75 pins ahead of the Canadians.
Although Snodgrass and Elliott held the lead for most of Thursday’s eight-game block, the Canadian duo kept the pressure on, trimming the Americans’ advantage to just 33 pins heading into the final game.
That set the stage for a potential repeat of Monday’s Men’s Doubles finish, when Team USA’s AJ Johnson and Julian Salinas led for much of the day before Canada’s Mitch Hupe and Francois Lavoie surged past them late to claim gold, leaving the Americans with silver.
With another Canadian comeback threatening to produce the same outcome, Snodgrass and Elliott responded in fine fashion. Elliott delivered a clutch five-bagger in frames 4-8, while Snodgrass struck in five of her first seven frames of the finale.
Those efforts helped Elliott close with 232 and Snodgrass finish with 223, giving Team USA a combined 455 for Game 8 and securing the gold medal.
Snodgrass, 30, finished her eight-game block with 1,790 for a 223.8 average. The right-hander’s scores on the day were 203, 232, 257, 203, 229, 204, 239 and 223.
Elliott, a 25-year-old righty, averaged 217.9 on the strength of games of 192, 243, 228, 204, 257, 201, 186 and 232. That performance added 1,743 to Team USA’s winning total.
Canada’s Jade Coté, a Youngstown State University graduate, and Marissa Naylor earned silver with a mark of 3,458 (a 216.1 average). The pair’s individual contributions were 1,815 and 1,643, respectively.
The bronze medal went to Kamilah and Abigail Dammers of Aruba, who totaled 3,330 thanks to 1,716 from Kamilah and 1,614 from Abigail. The Arubans finished 128 pins behind Canada.
For Snodgrass and Elliott, the victory provided plenty to celebrate.
“I’m ecstatic to win again with USA on my back, especially after the way the World Cup ended,” Snodgrass said, referring to Team USA’s bronze-medal finish in Women’s Team at the World Cup in Germany a little more than a week earlier. “Crystal (Elliott) and I have never bowled together, but we learned each other’s characteristics during practice and used that to our advantage. I’m really proud of how she bowled and carried herself today.”
Elliott was equally pleased with her partner and the day’s outcome.
“Jordan (Snodgrass) and I communicated great today,” Elliott said. “We were able to help each other out, and we had so much fun. I’m extremely glad we were paired together for this event.
“Winning gold is a feeling that’s hard to describe. After falling short of the doubles podium two years ago, this gold feels extra special.”
The shrinking lead added drama to the finish, but Snodgrass said her focus remained on her own game.
“There’s TVs right there, so it’s hard not to pay attention to what the other teams are doing,” Snodgrass said. “Heading into that last game, I knew we had a little bit of a lead, but Canada wasn’t next to us, so I wasn’t score watching. I just wanted us to make the best shots we could, post our score and hope it would be enough.”
Elliott, too, attempted to stay focused on what she and her partner could control rather than watching what the Canadians did a few pairs away.
“We knew we needed to make shots and continue to communicate with one another during that last game,” Elliott said. “Rather than worrying about anyone else, we had a ton of fun and just enjoyed each other’s company.”
The pair also enjoyed success on the 41-foot Champion of Champions oil pattern, something they hope will continue during singles.
Snodgrass and Elliott will turn their attention to individual competition Friday when the opening round of Women’s Singles gets underway. The Women’s Doubles medal presentations also are on the day’s schedule.
The tournament concludes Saturday with the second round of Women’s Singles and that event’s medal ceremony.
Even though they will be competing against one another, Snodgrass hopes she and Elliott will be standing on the podium together at that event’s conclusion as well.
“I have a lot of confidence going into singles,” Snodgrass said. “We made really good moves and ball calls today with the help of Kelly (Team USA Assistant Coach Kelly Kulick). The goal is to get us to qualify one-two after tomorrow so that we can bowl together on Saturday.”
SALINAS, JOHNSON EARN SINGLES MEDALS
Salinas andJ Johnson gave Team USA a one-two finish in Men’s Singles on Wednesday, with Salinas winning gold and Johnson taking silver.
After leading the way during Tuesday’s opening round, Salinas finished the job at the Bowling Center of the Costa Rica Country Club in San Jose, topping the 26-player field with a two-day, 16-game total of 3,799 (a 237.4 average).
Johnson claimed second with 3,711 (a 231.9 average), holding off Wascar Cavallo of the Dominican Republic by 32 pins for the silver medal. Cavallo secured the final spot on the podium with a bronze-medal total of 3,679.
Salinas, a 24-year-old righty two-handery, was stellar again Wednesday, keeping all eight games above 200 en route to a 1,904 second-round total that included games of 234, 248, 225, 237, 207, 268, 268 and 217.
For Johnson, Wednesday brought a move up from third place and another strong scoring effort. The 34-year-old right-hander put together a Round 2 meark of 1,866 thanks to scores of 238, 259, 213, 236, 276, 255, 195 and 194.
The path to gold included some late drama as Johnson overtook Salinas for the overall lead with two games remaining before Salinas regained the top spot and secured the title by 88 pins.
While one might assume it would be difficult for teammates to have to battle one another for the top step on the podium, Salinas and Johnson wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
“After the first few games, it pretty much became a two-man race for gold between me and AJ (Johnson),” Salinas said. “I was looking over and cheering for AJ, hoping he could strike just as much as I could. That’s how we wanted it to be at the end. We wanted the two of us to be one-two, and we were able to accomplish that.”
Johnson shared that point of view.
“During individual events, especially when there’s only two of us, the goal is always for it to come down to us, for Team USA to finish one-two,” Johnson said. “With what the lanes were doing and the look Julian (Salinas) had, I knew it was going to take a lot for me to hold him off those last two games. Outside of being absolutely perfect for the last 24 frames, there was nothing I could do. Still, the goal of taking the top two spots on the podium for Team USA was within reach, and we were able to make it happen.”
And because it happened, Salinas walked away with his first international singles medal, and gold to boot. After the awards ceremony, Salinas talked about what the accomplishment meant to him.
“This is the absolute greatest feeling,” Salinas said. “I’ve really been trying to put a lot of hard work and effort into practicing to figure out my game. Ever since getting out of college, it’s taken a long time to relearn what works for me and what I need to do to accomplish the goals I have. To win here is an incredible feeling, and it gives me even more confidence moving forward.”
While Johnson enjoys winning medals just as much, the special feeling he gets is derived simply from continuing to have the opportunity to represent his country on the lanes.
“I don’t ever take traveling and competing for Team USA for granted,” Johnson said. “I love competing for our country and wearing the red, white and blue. My time is a lot more limited now than it used to be, so the desire to reach the podium is even higher now than it was when I was younger. Still, whether you’re young, old or somewhere in between, every time you compete and win a medal for your country, it means something. It’s very special.”
Johnson and Salinas each finished with two medals in San Jose after teaming up to earn silver in Men’s Doubles on Monday.
Wednesday marked the final day of men’s competition at the 2026 PANAM Bowling Champion of Champions as the last three days of this year’s tournament will be all about the women.
See complete results here: https://bowl.com/team-usa/2026_panam_champion_of_champions