Bowling success

Oct 10 2008 by Johnathon Menzies, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

ONE OF the Big County’s most talented disabled athletes is dreaming big after bowling over the opposition in the world of Boccia

Joshua Rowe (15), from Madderty, was awarded the inaugural David McCrae sports bursary last week – two months from being crowned the country’s junior champion, after claiming the gold medal at the Scottish Open Boccia Championships in August.

The £500 bursary, named after the former Paralympian and Sportscotland officer David McCrae, will allow Joshua to step up his training in the disability sport – similar to bowls and predominately played by athletes with cerebral palsy and other motor skills difficulties.

Joshua’s recent successes have also led to him making his international debut as part of the Scotland squad that took on the rest of the world at the annual Defi sportif event in Canada in May.

The Auchterarder Secondary pupil’s trip to Montreal included a creditable performance against eventual Paralympic gold medallist, and world number 3, Nigel Murray in the process.

In fact, Joshua has taken full ends off every member of Team GB’s Beijing gold medal winners in the past and plans to increase his training– with the Fair City’s Junior Boccia Club, based at Viewlands Primary– in a bid to make the team for the London Games in 2012.

Proud mum Carol told the PA the new bursary will help Joshua fulfil his undoubted potential.

Sghe said: “The AGM was great because there were so many different people from different sports, so it was good for Joshua to mix with them.