David Corkill: “Birmingham 2022 is a great chance for the Home Nations to shine”
BBC Commentator and Bowls International columnist, David Corkill, gives his insight ahead of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, with the lawn bowls events taking place on the Victoria Park greens in Royal Leamington Spa:
The Games as they are generally referred to is the biggest event any bowler will ever experience. It is enormous with multiple sports and an overview that is held very much within the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth Games committee.
While bowls is an important sport, they have little input into the overall strategy and running of the Games. This makes the event a very different one to the World Outdoor Bowls Championships where bowls is very much in control of all aspects of the championships.
Of course, there are sports specific elements that require specialist knowledge, for instance the technical umpiring and dispute resolution but the overall jurisdiction is at a different level. For us as a sport, Allan Thornhill becomes a valuable resource in his role as technical guru. He will love that description!
Being a multi-sport event, it makes the Games so much more enjoyable as you get the full experience of interacting with so many other sports and if time permits get to watch them as well. It is also the pinnacle for a bowler and one that that often reflects years of effort, sacrifice, and success at all levels with the titles to show for it.
Time however can be at a premium depending on scheduling. When I played at the Games, you were only involved in one event and if that was played first as it was with me that left a lot of free time before going home.
The structure and rules were different as well. Back then you played all the competitors. A much more equal way to run things in my opinion but of course this changed over the years due to the length of time of the overall event and it would be impossible to do that now.
I have written before about the CWG and how I view it as the culminations of many years of hard work resulting in being selected.
Many view this as the highlight of their bowls career, others as just another event. Either way there is only one objective as far as officialdom are concerned and that is simple. Bring back medals; if you enjoy it that is a bonus!
Birmingham 2022 is a great chance for the home nations to shine. It is also a lovely place to be spending time. I am looking forward to it and I’m sure there will be plenty to celebrate.
[Pictured: Wales’ Daniel Salmon and Marc Wyatt won men’s pairs gold on the Gold Coast four years ago]
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Bowls International is the world’s most respected bowling magazine, available monthly in both digital and print formats. A comprehensive Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games supplement is included in July’s issue of Bowls International.
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