Edwards chasing third Commonwealth Games gold
The New Zealand Olympic Committee together with Bowls New Zealand has named 10 athletes to the New Zealand team for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Among the team is defending Commonwealth Games singles champion Jo Edwards, who will be attending her fourth Games.
Returning from previous Commonwealth Games campaigns is Ali Forsyth, Blake Signal, Paul Girdler, Shannon McIlroy (world singles champion), Mandy Boyd (Glasgow 2014 bronze, women’s fours) and Val Smith (Delhi 2010 silver singles, Glasgow 2014 bronze women’s fours).
Tayla Bruce, Katelyn Inch and Mike Nagy will make their Commonwealth Games debuts at Gold Coast 2018.
Edwards, 47, who won gold at Manchester in 2002 and Glasgow in 2014, lives in Brisbane and has been training at the Broadbeach Bowls Club, where lawn bowls will be contested during the Games.
‘‘The greens on the Gold Coast are different to home so it doesn’t do any harm being based here and getting to know them. There’s good competition here as well so that’s driving me and helping with preparation,’’ she said.
Forsyth expects the team to grace the podium several times on the Gold Coast.
‘‘The New Zealand team won seven medals out of a possible eight at the 2016 world championships so that’s given us a great deal of confidence,’’ he said.
‘‘I believe we can medal in close to all four of the men’s events on the Gold Coast if we get on the greens as much as we can between now and April.’’
Bowls New Zealand chief executive Mark Cameron says the experienced team will go well in the Australian conditions.
‘‘More than half of this team is based in Australia so the conditions over there are very familiar to us,’’ he said.
‘‘We have a wealth of Commonwealth Games experience within this bunch and the athletes who are new to this environment will be able to draw on the experience of their team mates.
‘‘I’m excited to see this team compete and I’m sure we’ll be delivering results which will make New Zealand proud.’’
NZOC chief executive Kereyn Smith extended her congratulations to the athletes.
‘‘Lawn bowls is a sport in which New Zealand is traditionally very strong and this is a group of athletes which will carry on our proud legacy,’’ she said.
‘‘It’s great to name a large and experienced bowls team named and I look forward to seeing the athletes compete on the Gold Coast.’’
New Zealand has won 38 bowls medals at Commonwealth Games, including 12 golds.
Lawn bowls at the Commonwealth Games will run from April
5-13.
The New Zealand Commonwealth Games team now stands at
73 including athletes competing in athletics, diving, gymnastics, lawn bowls, triathlon, weightlifting, shooting and swimming.