Kimberley’s Springbok bowler to represent SA Down Under

KIMBERLEY’S own Charles Peter Mathewson will soon be packing his green and gold kit as he prepares to embark on a trip to Australia next month to compete at the Multi-Nations Bowls Tournament Down under.

This is no social tournament, in fact it’s a big deal as the multinationals in Australia are also used to decide who is selected to attend the World Championships at the end of the year.

Charles, 28, is well known in the local lawn bowls circles. He was born and bred in Kimberley, and spends most of every Saturday and Sunday playing bowls, a sport he has always loved.

The young athlete told the DFA that his parents introduced him to bowling when he was just seven years old.

“Early on, my parents started bringing me to the bowls club, and I started playing the game for pleasure. However, it soon developed into something I truly loved, and over time, I began to take it seriously,” he said.

“I was picked to attend the nationals by the time I was nine years old, and the thrill was immense, especially being so young in age among all the adults. I failed miserably in that tournament, but I nonetheless got so much information and experience that the defeat that day didn't feel quite as horrible.”

Charles says that as he grew older, he took part in bigger competitions spending an increasing amount of time on the greens.

“My mom and I won the South African Mixed Pair Championships in the same year that I won the Under-30 Nationals. Without a doubt, it is something I will never forget.

“In 2020, after receiving my Springbok colours, I planned to compete in the World Bowls Championships in Australia, but then COVID-19 struck. The event was then postponed until sometime towards the end of this year.

“I was picked to travel to Australia in March this year for the Multi-Nations Bowls Tournament, which will last a full week. Since their greens are a lot quicker than ours in South Africa, I will be spending two weeks there to practice (on) them.”

Mathewson explained that the tournament in Australia will be an eight-nation competition, with 12 players selected from each nation; six males and six females.

“The multinationals in Australia are also used to establish who is selected to go to the World Championships at the end of the year,” he added. “During the Multi-Nationals, we will be competing in singles, fours, trips, and doubles events. So I am really excited to go over and take part this year.”

He says he hopes the South African squad will be successful in bringing home medals from the competition in Australia.

“Being able to win a medal there is a major accomplishment since bowls is a very big sport in Australia with plenty of support and world-class players,” he said.

He was also excited to reveal that there are rumours that bowls may be included as an Olympic sport by 2032, saying that this is a massive incentive for him to improve his game even more.

“My future goals are to qualify, to be a member of the South African squad that will represent South Africa at the Olympic games, and to bring home a medal,” he said.

The Kimberley bowls fraternity as well as the rest of South Africa are now holding their breath for the 12 men and women who will represent our nation in Australia.

In order to raise the funds required to make the trip Down Under, Charles announced that he will be holding a fund-raiser at the Beaconsfield Park Bowling Green on Friday February 24.

This fund-raiser will include a spit braai dinner, music, darts and bowls. Tickets cost R100 per person and are available from Annelie who can be contacted on 072 544 8708.

If anybody would like to assist Charles in any way to enable him to provide much-needed support for his trip to Australia, he can be contacted at 082 551 7886.