Bowler making the big time – Bendigo Sports Star Award

MARGARET Rosewall is on her way to represent Australia in the World Bowls Championship for the vision impaired in 2023.

Recognised as a Bendigo Sports Star award winner for June, Rosewall said being up for the award came as a total shock.

“It’s just an outstanding thing, I never expected it, it’s a total surprise,” she said. “I didn’t even know I was in the running for it, it’s just come out of the blue.”

Rosewall recently competed in the Australian Blind Bowls national championships in New South Wales, pairing with Max Glasse from Port Macquarie, and with the help of her husband and bowls director Brian and guide dog Letty, won gold.

“It was a new introductory thing this year, you’re paired up with a person from another state,” she said.

“You didn’t know who you got. Max Glass and I, we just shone, we really did, and it was a lot of fun. We never thought we’d be gold medallists, but we did, we gave them a hard time.

“We went up, as usual you just go up, you expect nothing, if you get something it’s a bonus,”

Rosewall started bowling 15 years ago, however a stroke six years ago resulted in her losing her vision.

“I was a right-handed bowler and I had to change to be a left-handed bowler so the whole thing became a big challenge,” she said.

Mr Rosewell said the pair have figured out a system that works for them, and they are determined to put in the work to compete at the highest level.

“Just because you’ve got a vision problem or something like that, you can still compete against vision bowlers, and you can compete very well, but you’ve got to be willing to put the work in and practice and continue at it,” he said.

“You might get knocked down a few times, but you’ve got to learn to get up and have another go. Eventually you’re going to stay on your feet more often than you get knocked down.”

The pair have been invited to try out for the Australian team to compete in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.