SA’s brave blind bowlers defend title at world champs
TAKE a scarf, wrap it around your head, securely covering your eyes. Ask someone for a tennis ball and to take you onto some smooth grass; walk 15 paces, turn and try to bowl the ball underarm within 20cm of where your companion is standing.
You might be lucky with one try in 20 from that, or any, distance.
Lawn bowlers of varying visual impairment from all communities – including totally blind – regularly show amazing talent in being able to achieve accuracy under the direction of a “director” with normal bowls, defying the imagination time after time – from 20-23m away!
On the perfect four greens of WPCC, Newlands, 10 nations and 130 players and directors, including title holders South Africa, are competing for the International Blind Bowls Association’s 11th World Championships, sponsored by 100 years-old Lions International and the City of Cape Town, until March 28. This will be followed by two days of internationals between visitors’ sides and the SA Proteas at Jaggers BC, Liesbeek Park.
The hosts, who have won five titles since 1977, seek to retain that won at Worthing on England’s south coast in 2013. They also won at home in 1977, Canada in 1993, Scotland in 2001 and Joburg in 2005.
Bowls South Africa president Kallie Haupt said: “Disabled bowlers of all types are affiliated to Bowls South Africa and are valued and admired.
“To host an event of this stature is a privilege; my thanks to the sponsors and all who work tirelessly to ensure an amazing spectacle of fortitude, patience and pure ability.”
Heat has been the only problem so far, and tournament convener Jenny Phillips had the vision and resolve to have play halted as the mercury climbed to 38ºC this week; several European competitors had shown signs of distress.
So far, South Africa’s team is again well in contention, but Australia, Israel, New Zealand, Hong Kong China, Canada and the British nations are serious opponents.
The next world championships in 2021 will be in New Zealand.