Poor health fails to stop keen bowler
● Van der Merwe grabs gold
Mental strength was behind the inspired performance that saw Lourenza van der Merwe claim the South African Masters Women’s Singles Open Championship title in Pretoria last week.
Van der Merwe, 59, competed in a field of top SA masters bowlers in an event hosted by the Gauteng Bowls Association at the Wingate Park Bowling Club from February 8-10.
Van der Merwe said players were grouped into two sections, with each woman playing six matches against the other bowlers in that section.
“All the ladies who participated in the competition were extremely strong.
“I had a number of Springbok bowlers who were drawn in my section,” she said.
Van der Merwe finished the round robin stage in first place after claiming five points from the six match-ups, which secured her a place in the final.
There, she went up against Jacqui van Rensburg and after a tough battle between the two women, it was Van der Merwe who won.
“I think the man above gave me the strength to win the gold because I was not physically fit to compete as I had an operation on my throat late last year,” Van der Merwe said.
“I was living off soft foods for almost two months.
“I lost about 9kg and my fitness was not where I wanted it to be, but I was determined to do well,” she said.
Van der Merwe said the championships were strictly for invited players and required her to participate and do well in a number of tournaments over a certain period.
These results were then reviewed by Bowls South Africa before a player received an invitation.
Having won the Eastern Province Masters title in 2018, Van der Merwe said the SA Masters was the cherry on top and she hoped this would pave the way for bigger things in her career.
“It was such a massive honour to win the EP Masters title, and to receive that invite to SA Masters and to have got this medal now still feels a bit unreal,” she said.
“But it makes me so happy to know that despite not being up to my best physically, my mental strength is what carried me through,” the Western Suburbs Bowling Club member said.
Representing the green and gold would be a dream come true for Van der Merwe.
However, she knows it will take a lot of hard work and dedication to achieve that goal.
Van der Merwe was first introduced to the sport of bowls after her mother, Cecile Kritzinger, was diagnosed with macular degeneration in 1996, an eye condition which causes vision loss.
“My mom was quite a keen golfer, but due to her condition, she had to give up the sport. It took me two years to find a sport for her.
“I thought, why not bowls? Despite not knowing a thing about bowls, I coached her for two years. I had never held a bowl in my life.
“I was initially introduced to the sport by a former member of my aerobics classes [and former Springbok] Neil Burkett.
“It was only after 10 years that I decided to give it a go myself.”