Golden treble for Tickner as Havant enjoy five-star show
Leah Tickner won three gold medals at the National Association of Youth Bowling Clubs national tournament in Dunstable.
It was a great success for Havant with five golds in total from three club members.
Joining Tickner at the top of the podium were Charlie Taylor and Abbie Bakeer who won a gold apiece.
Tickner won gold in the singles, all events and doubles, alongside Bakeer.
Taylor won gold in the singles, and had a high game of 267.
President of Havant Youth Bowling Club, Carla-Marie Moore, was delighted with the success achieved by the bowlers.
She said: ‘Words can’t describe how proud I am of them.
‘I took 16 kids to a national tournament and it’s amazing that three of them came back with gold medals.
‘It’s a competition that is held over an entire month so every club from across the country will have submitted a team to compete in the singles and doubles at the tournament.
‘To come back with five gold medals, I’m just so proud I can’t explain it.’
The three golds for Tickner continued her recent medal haul, which included a European gold in Belgium last year.
She and Bakeer also won silver at the national championships last year in the doubles.
Moore has lauded praise on the coaching team that they have at Havant, and the work they have done in such a short space of time.
She added: ‘Leah and Abbie have only been bowling for two seasons, so to go from being novices to winning gold medals nationally is testament to the coaching they have had.
‘I’m massively excited, to have three gold medal winners from one club, a small club at a national championship is down to the hard work that each of these kids have put in.’
Tickner’s next event is the British Youth Open on July 17.
Then all three of the gold medal winners compete at the Youth London International the week after.
Moore is hoping they can repeat their success in the coming months, with the belief they have gained from their recent successes.
She added: ‘They’ll be competing and they’ll give everything they have got.
‘Their performance at nationals has given them a lot of confidence, they’ll go and give 110 percent.’
– MACAULAY DALEY