Sweden’s Jesper Svensson delivered a thrilling finale to the 2024 PBA season, capturing the PBA Elite League Strike Derby title with a breathtaking comeback. Following his recent victory at the Storm Lucky Larsen Masters in Sweden, Svensson defeated New Jersey’s Andrew Anderson 12-11 in the Strike Derby finale at Bayside Bowl in Portland, Maine.
Voted in by fans to represent the Akron Atom Splitters, Svensson joined an elite field that included Arturo Quintero, Packy Hanrahan, Jason Belmonte, Andrew Anderson, EJ Tackett, Kyle Troup, and last year’s champion, Chris Via. The format allowed each competitor two minutes to throw as many strikes as possible, with each match's highest total moving to the next round.
Anderson, who had an impressive season as PBA Elite League MVP, stormed through the rounds with consistent high scores, including a 13-strike match against EJ Tackett in Round 1 and later dethroned Via in the semifinals 10-8. Svensson, meanwhile, overcame a slow start against Packy Hanrahan 6-4 before building momentum, knocking out Belmonte in the semifinals by a single strike 10-9.
In the championship round, Anderson set a strong pace with 11 strikes, but Svensson stayed calm under pressure. Trailing 11-7 with just 30 seconds left, Svensson rallied to land five strikes in a row, including a tripped 3-pin in his final shot that sealed the victory.
After the final match, Svensson admitted he lost the count of his strikes during the game and hadn’t realized he’d won until he saw the crowds reaction.
The victory capped an outstanding season for Svensson, who also claimed a PBA Tour title on home soil by winning the Storm Lucky Larsen Masters at Olympia Bowling in September.
The PBA Elite League Strike Derby marked the conclusion of the 2024 PBA calendar.
Final Results:
Round 1:
Chris Via vs. Arturo Quintero, 12-6
Andrew Anderson vs. EJ Tackett, 13-13 (X-9 roll-off)
Jason Belmonte vs. Kyle Troup, 10-6
Jesper Svensson vs. Packy Hanrahan, 6-4
Semifinals:
Andrew Anderson vs. Chris Via, 10-8
Jesper Svensson vs. Jason Belmonte, 10-9
Finals:
Jesper Svensson vs. Andrew Anderson, 12-11
