Fifteen-year-old stacking up titles
Kaleb Johnston’s stacked up more indoor bowls titles in five years than many achieve in a lifetime. And he’s just turned 15. Last week the Year 10 Waimea College student became the youngest Nelson player to receive a gold star for five centre indoor bowls titles, beating the mark set by New Zealand Black Jacks bowler Ali Forsyth as a 20-year-old.
In tandem with his father Mike, 15-year-old Kaleb claimed his fifth Nelson centre champion of champions title after the Stoke duo beat Club Waimea’s Ryan Eggers and Jean McKenzie 10-8 in the final.
It was Kaleb’s second centre champion of champions pairs title, having also won the fours twice and the junior singles once. He was runner-up last year in the men’s singles.
He’s used to setting records, having also won his first centre titles - both the champion of champions pairs and fours - as a 10-yearold when he also beat Forsyth’s previous record by two years.
He’s clearly a chip off the old block. Father Mike’s racked up 13 centre titles over the years although he was 26 when he achieved his gold star, having started at 15.
That father and son bond has certainly played a significant part in his success.
"Over the years, my dad’s been getting me into it and he’s been helping me practise, and we’ve got a mat at home so we practise quite a lot," Kaleb said.
Paramount for him is the enjoyment factor.
"It gets quite competitive at times and I enjoy sports that are quite competitive. I just find it fun, and coming along with my dad’s cool as well, getting to do something with him."
He tries not to let the distraction of title success cloud his focus.
"I think about titles sometimes, but it’s more about coming along and I guess just enjoying it while I can."
As this year’s Nelson under-18 singles champion, Kaleb will contest the national final in Wellington on Saturday. And on Sunday, he’ll be among a record field of 73 players at the New Zealand secondary schools singles championships, also in Wellington.
Indoor bowls isn’t Johnston’s only sporting interest, although it’s beginning to dominate more of his time.
He first played for the Richmond Barbarians football team aged seven, winning the Golden Boot as top goal-scorer several times and was a Nelson age group representative for three consecutive years.
Kaleb’s been a competitive swimmer since the age of nine and has represented the Nelson South club at various New Zealand age group nationals and division two championships.
He’s won numerous gold medals at Top of the South swim meets and three years ago set a Nelson-Marlborough age group record in the 50m backstroke.