Bowls NZ want more funding after medals
Bowls New Zealand are hopeful the Blackjacks will maintain their high performance funding after their success at the world championships in Christchurch.
The New Zealand bowls squad won seven medals – two gold, a silver and four bronzes – at the justcompleted World Bowls 2016 tournament.
Kerry Clark, Bowls New Zealand’s chief executive, said it was the nation’s best medals haul at a world championships and had ‘‘surpassed the target’’ set by High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ).
The Blackjacks received $250,000 from HPSNZ in 2016 and have had just over $1 million since 2013.
Funding round results are expected to be released on Thursday and Clark is hoping bowls gets an early Christmas present.
‘‘Our pinnacle event for results was the world championships and the target that we set in association with HPSNZ was two golds and three other medals,’’ Clark said.
‘‘We passed that with flying colours.
‘‘I’m confident and hopeful that we will get a further investment in our campaign for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.’’
Clark said Shannon McIlroy’s men’s singles gold medal on closing day on Sunday was ‘‘the icing on the cake’’ for the Blackjacks because it secured them the Leonard Trophy for the top men’s squad at World Bowls.
The Blackjacks had been determined to give retiring head coach Dave Edwards a ‘‘good send-off,’’ said Clark, who acknowledged Edward had played an instrumental role in establishing a strong, unified culture within the New Zealand squad.
Clark, who retires in 2017 after 20 years as CEO, is confident the Blackjacks’ success will continue under the new coaching team of Sharon Sims and Peter Belliss, Edwards’ assistants.
That decision was made before the World Bowls tournament and could have been questioned if the New Zealanders had not performed on the greens.
But Clark believes the success in Christchurch vindicated the call. ‘‘We were thrilled that Sharon and Peter committed soon after Dave had given notice he was going to move on.
‘‘I think [appointing Sims and Belliss] was good for our players. They had respect for the two people taking over form Dave and they could see that the programme he had put in place would continue.’’
Clark said all 10 Blackjacks got a medal in Christchurch and many had long international futures ahead of them.
‘‘Take Shannon McIlroy [aged 29]. He could play for another 33 years before he reaches Mike Kernaghan’s age.
‘‘And that’s not to say Mike won’t continue while he’s got the appetite to be involved. He was outstanding in the fours final.’’
Clark said the Blackjacks had never before won medals in seven of the eight disciplines – an honour shared with the Australian squad.