Gunnedah bowlers win gold in state teams

Gunnedah teen bowlers brought gold home after the national bowls tournament in Perth earlier this month.

Tim Thorning and Ella Cameron were selected as a part of state lawn bowls teams this year.

Ella represented the combined NSW and Victorian team and Tim was selected in the NSW team.

The pair was in Perth prior to the competition to meet with team members and sharpen their skills before heading up against other state representative bowlers.

Games were played against Australia’s best bowling youngsters at Club Sorrento and excellent results were achieved by both teams.

Tim brought home gold with the NSW under 18 fours team when it defeated the Victorian team 19-6.

His boys’ triple team placed second to Victoria.

The NSW team was the overall winners of the under 18 nationals, ensuring Tim walked away with two gold medals and one silver.

It has been a good bowling year for Tim, who previously won the South Pacific junior bowls championship in January and State Junior Singles Championship title in July.

Ella also came home with pleasing results when her combined NSW-Victorian team girls’ triple team defeated the standalone NSW team 16-13.

In the final round of the girls’ triple, Ella’s combined team pulled ahead to win gold.

She also played in the girls’ four team but was defeated in the first round by South Australia.

“The games were pretty tough,” Ella said.

“They all played pretty good bowls throughout the entire game but we came out on top.”

Ella was also eager to reunite with her fellow state players at future competitions who she hadn’t met formally in a team setting until before the championships.

“I want to see all my mates again from different states and catch up with them,” she said.