Bowlers combine to win state title

Colac Bowling Club's Maurie Oates, left, and Steve Nelson.

Colac Bowling Club lawn bowlers Maurie Oates, left, and Steve Nelson won Bowls Victoria’s Integrated Pairs Tour-nament, which unites able-bodied bowlers with people with disabilities. Thirty-two pairs contested the statewide competition this week.
Colac Bowling Club lawn bowlers Maurie Oates, left, and Steve Nelson won Bowls Victoria’s Integrated Pairs Tour-nament, which unites able-bodied bowlers with people with disabilities. Thirty-two pairs contested the statewide competition this week.

COLAC lawn bowlers Steve Nelson and Maurie Oates have teamed up to win a state-wide competition which unites able-bodied bowlers with people with a disability.

Nelson, who has an intellectual disability, has competed in Bowls Victoria’s Integrated Pairs Tournament in its past three years but failed to win until now.

The 25-year-old was the hero of the day, delivering a match-winning shot with the last bowl to give the Colac duo a thrilling one-shot win in the final, 6-5.

“I don’t think Steve had ever made it that far before but he actually won the championship on the last end – we needed a three to win and he made that happen,” Oates said.

“It was a wonderful experience to see Steve, not just participate, but to be a part of a winning team,” he said.

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“To see the emotion on Steve’s face, it was a great feeling.”

Thirty-two pairs contested the statewide championship, with Oates and Nelson needing to survive three knock-out rounds, a quarter-final and a semi-final to advance to the decider.

Oates said he had teamed up with Nelson in other pairs competitions, and said the up-and-coming bowler had made rapid improvement in the past year.

“I played with him in the pairs championship at Colac and another at Camperdown on New Year’s, and his family asked if I’d like to play in this,” Oates said.

“His bowling really has improved – Will Collihole, who is the current club champion, has helped him a lot,” he said

“He practices a lot with his uncle and his dad Trevor every Tuesday – he’s got a really good delivery.”

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