Van Asch plays way into Gold Coast team

MISSING Commonwealth Games selection four years ago has been the driving force behind Rebecca Van Asch’s surge of form as the Tasmanian finally realised a longheld dream.

Lawn bowler Van Asch, who last week was announced as a joint winner of the Tasmanian Athlete of the Year alongside rower Sarah Hawe, was yesterday named in 17-bowler squad for next year’s home Games on the Gold Coast.

A three-time world champion who won the won the women’s triples and women’s fours in the world outdoor bowls championships last December — to go with her first world crown in 2012 — she was crushed when she did not make the cut for the Glasgow team in 2014.

But the disappointment has been buried following an anxious wait for official confirmation of the 2018 team, where she will be one of six Commonwealth Games debutants for Australia.

“It has been a nervous wait, I have certainly been happy with my form over the last 12 months and probably even the 12 months before that leading into world championships at the end of last year,” the Invermay star said.

“We had a strong squad of seven and that had to be cut to five, I believe we could have had quite a few strong teams out of that seven, it was a nervous wait to see if I did make the cut.

“It has always been a dream of mine to go to a Commonwealth Games.

“Part of me is relieved as well because it has been a long road to this point, especially after the disappointment last time round when I missed out on selection for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

“That disappointment has certainly been a motivator over the past few years to try and get to this point.

“I am ecstatic and over the moon to be heading to my first Comm Games.”

Van Asch, who in September also became the first Tas- manian to win the Australian Indoor bowls championship, will use the next four months to spend as much time as possible on the greens in Queensland to familiarise herself with the conditions.

The home country will be among the favourites to win gold, but with that comes extra pressure.

“We will try to make it the biggest advantage we can of having a home Commonwealth Games and getting on the Broadbeach greens as often as we can between now and then,” she said.

“Having had such a strong world championship campaign at the end of last year . . . the other countries will be hunting us, but we have every opportunity to have as much practice as we can on those greens beforehand.”