The Hunter River Times

BY ALEX TIGANI

It has only been a few months since Singleton’s Martin Bock returned home with two national lawn bowls titles.

Now he is preparing for a training camping at Club Tweed later this month.

If successful, he may represent Australia in 2023.

Yet there’s a catch.

Unlike our recent Commonwealth Games gold medal winners Aaron Wilson, Ellen Ryan and Kristina Krstic, Bock is a vision-impaired athlete who has a B3 classification.

After three top four finishes at the 2021 Australian Blind Bowlers Association championships at Port Macquarie, the 53-year-old captured two gold medals at this year’s national titles held at Tweed Heads.

He shared the pairs title with Victorian Lisa Condy (Swan Hill) while his efforts in the singles saw him finish on top of the table ahead of Cudgen bowler Fred McConnell.

“Last year I came fourth in the singles, third in the opens and second in the drawn pairs so I definitely improved and my consistency was better,” Bock told The Hunter River Times.

“At this year’s competition I actually played last year’s champion first.

“Last year he (McConnell) beat me by one shot but this year I beat him by one shot.”

Regardless of his success at the trials, from August 19-21 ahead of the world championships to be held at Tweed Heads in March, Bock has been happy with his continued improvement in the past year.

He has also praised his director (helper) Steven Hargreaves who has assisted him with many competitions as well as the Singleton Bowls Club where he is a regular competitor.

“We are always looking for bowlers and this is where I get my regular competition through club championships and the pennant season which is about to start,” he concluded.

“It will certainly help if we can get some extra players.”