So near yet so far as bowlers miss out

SCOTLAND narrowly missed out on the first gold medal of the Glasgow 2014 bowls programme as the visually impaired duo of Irene Edgar and Robert Conway settled for silver in their parasport mixed pairs Final.

The pair, aided by directors David Thomas and Ron McArthur, lost 14-10 to South Africa’s Gwen Nel and Herman Scholtz, directed by Geoff Newcombe and Annatjie van Rooyen, at the Kelvingrove Lawn Bowls Centre.

McArthur and Thomas had defeated Australia in their semi-final to set up the showdown, but South Africa took charge in the third end when they scored three shots to pull 5-2 clear, and they developed that position to lead 10-6 after 11 ends.

The Scottish crowds were given fresh hope when the home pair won back-to-back ends and forced their way back to 10-10, but the home challenge faded thereafter as Nel and Newcombe took the gold.

Saltcoats resident Edgar, 56, and Celtic-supporting Glaswegian Conway, 57, won World Championship bronze together last year, when Conway landed the solo gold.

Edgar said of their latest achievement together: “It was absolutely fantastic, we are over the moon. Absolutely unreal, definitely the highlight of my career.”

Conway was less jubilant, and said: “We could have played better. We never gave them a game, which is unfortunate.

“We can’t put it down to nerves. We were very confident last night but we didn’t perform.”