BOWLS Fiji has selected a strong team which has the potential to win medals at the Commonwealth Games in Australia next month.
The names of the national reps have been submitted to the Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee’s (FASANOC) selection justification committee.
Fiji’s best result at the Commonwealth Games was in 2002 in England where the combination of Radhika Prasad and Litia Tikoisuva took out the bronze medal.
Ironically the duo are the surviving members of the current national training squad.
Bowls Fiji secretary Abdul Kalim said Peter Fong won a bronze medal during the British Empire Games which later changed to the Commonwealth Games.
“We have done well in Australia,” Kalim said.
“We beat Australia during the 2011 Asia Pacific Championship to win the triples gold medal. The team included Samuela Tui, Dan Lum On and Semesa Naiseruvati.
“Ratish lost to Brett Willkie in the semi-final. Willkie was world number one at that time.
“Tikoisuva participated at the Commonwealth Games in 1998 and 2006 and won the silver medal at the 2005 World Indoor Championships.
“Litia at her prime was the world number three while Radhika was ranked sixth. Ratish Lal went up to world number three.”
Kalim said Fiji had produced many top players over the years.
He said it was time for the bowlers from Fiji to get back on the world rankings chart.
“Vatukoula’s Caucau Turagabeci was the Asia Pacific number two having beaten world champions like Tony Allcock and Steve Glasson,” Kalim said.
“The likes of Vimla Swamy, Maraia Lum On, Phil Morrison, Ram Karan Singh and Panapasa Matailevu are some of the renowned names in the sport.
“Willow Fong represented both Fiji and Australia in bowls.
“She won the pairs silver medal with Maraia at the 1981 World Outdoor Bowls Championship in Toronto, Canada.0At the 1985 World Outdoor Bowls Championship in Melbourne, Australia she won the pairs silver medal.”
Kalim said the national squad members were training on the weekly basis.
“We are trying to match our greens to the Australian standard,” he added.
