A MEDAL from the Commonwealth Games has come home to Rugby after a bowling prodigy from Dunchurch won silver at the Glasgow tournament.
Thornfield Bowling Club’s Jamie-Lea Winch came second in the women’s pairs bowling alongside partner Natalie Melmore, losing to South Africa in the final.
The England pair were heartbroken after a dramatic final which saw them go 7-1 down before storming into a 16-11 lead, only to lose 20-17 after the match was forced into an extra end – the bowling equivalent of extra time.
But Jamie-Lea, 23, is glad to have made it as far as she did.
“Before we went into the final, we knew we’d definitely at least secured ourselves a medal.” she told The Observer.
“So we were playing the final to try and get the gold.
“It was so close we had to do an extra end to decide the winner, which doesn’t happen very often in bowls.
“Initially we were disappointed to be so close to getting a gold and only getting a silver, so the podium was a bit of a blur.
“But we are so proud to come away with a medal.”
The former Bilton High and Rugby High pupil started playing the game at the age of ten at Bilton Bowling Club, before being selected to play for England when she was just 13.
And she said she felt over the moon when, in May, she found out she had been selected for the five-strong team for the Commonwealth Games.
But she has no time to reflect on her success.
“Our national tournament started this week, so I’ll be playing in the singles and pairs which start on Friday.”
And her partner Natalie said their Commonwealth success was just the beginning.
“It’s the first time we have played at this level together, and we played well together all tournament.” she said.
“We are young, we enjoyed it and we are going to come back for more.”
Catch Jamie-Lea at the 2014 Bowls England National Championships in Victoria Park, Leamington Spa from Friday (tomorrow).
