THREE Gwent bowls stars have booked their place at next year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Lisa Forey and Jonathan Tomlinson and Pontypool’s Kelly Packwood have all been picked to represent Wales at Glasgow 2014.
With two gold, three silver and three bronze Commonwealth medals already won by just two members of the lawn bowls squad, a total of 15 bowlers will be heading to the Scottish city next summer aiming to add more to their collection.
Competing over nine days in six separate events, Wales’ bowlers will compete in the singles, pairs, triples, fours, visually impaired mixed pairs and para-sport triples.
Hazel Wilson, a former Welsh and British singles champion and Commonwealth Games co-ordinating manager for lawn bowls, is delighted with the squad.
“We’re really happy to be the first team announcing our full squad,” she said.
“The bowlers have been working hard to earn selection and knowing they’ve secured their place will now allow them to focus on their preparations for the Games.
“There’s a great mix of youth and experience amongst the team which will stand us in good stead and I’m confident that we can continue with the medal-winning ways previously shown by bowlers at Commonwealth Games.”
The women’s bowls team, selected by the Welsh Women’s Bowling Association, will feature:
Forey, originally from Swansea but now living in Newport, will compete in the triples and fours along with Packwood.
Tomlinson will also be competing in triples and fours for the men’s team.
And competing in the final para-sport event, the triples for bowlers with a physical disability will be Dave Powell of Monmouthshire alongside Cardiff’s Chris Gibson and Kevin Woolmore from Wrexham.
Chris Jenkins, chief executive officer of the Commonwealth Games Council for Wales, said: “Lawn bowls has made a fantastic contribution to the final Team Wales medal tally at the last few Commonwealth Games and I’m looking forward to seeing some of those medallists perform again for us in Glasgow.
“The inclusion of para-sport events for bowlers is great to see and it’s meant that we’re able to send more bowlers to a Commonwealth Games than ever before.
“We’re nearly at the 200 days to go mark and momentum is really building now,” he added. “The team is starting to grow and years of preparations are starting to come together.
“With the whole nation on our side Team Wales is three million strong and we’re looking forward to witnessing that support during the Queen’s Baton Relay and the Games next year.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here