“I WAS in my peak back then,” said Curtis Mar as he recalled the 1995 Victor Clarke Singles Championship.
It was the final and Mr Mar was up against Tulsi Ram in the final 21 years ago. The former won the match and the memory of his heyday in the sport of bowling is still very clear to Mr Mar.
“I was 28 years old. I remember those days. That was 1995, just a year earlier I was selected to play in the national side,” Mr Mar said.
“I played in the Hong Kong Classics Pairs Championships and then the Fiji New Zealand Test series and the following year in 1996, I won a silver medal at the World Championships.”
Mr Mar now manages the national bowling teams but plays at club level. He said there were more skilful players back 10 or 20 years ago.
“One factor we have to look at is the greens. Back then the greens were much better and that allowed for better bowling,” he said.
“Now the greens are in not all that of a good shape and that is a contributing factor on why the skill level has dropped.
“But Fiji has always punched above its weight and we continue to do that. Australia and New Zealand still do not underestimate us.”
Mr Mar said compared with the professionals and semi-professionals playing for the top teams Fiji players only take up the sport in leisure time.
Mr Mar started playing at the age of eight because his parents were lawn bowl enthusiasts. He won his first club championship at eight, the next was when he was and then when he was a 13-year-old.
