10 year anniversary of the Melbourne Commonwealth Games
It was 10 years ago our Australian Lawn Bowls team created history at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games winning three gold, one silver and one bronze of a possible six medals. Today marks a decade since the opening ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
Our Australian bowls team created history contributing three gold medals, one silver and one bronze to Australia’s overall 222 medals (84 gold, 64 silver and 69 bronze) and making the 2006 Commonwealth Games the most successful games to date for any Australian Lawn Bowls Team.
Under the guidance of National Coach Cameron Curtis and Assistant Coach Ian Schuback, the Australian team took full advantage of a ‘home games’ and after countless hours training at the Darebin International Sports Centre in the months leading in, they put on a performance that will never be forgotten.
It all began with the men’s triples team of Bill Cornehls, Wayne Turley and Mark Casey whose hairstyles had as much flare as their gold medal winning performance.
Wayne Turley says that winning gold was the most unbelievable achievement by such a great team.
“To win gold in front of family and friends in our own country was a dream come true,” he said.
“I will never forget the tears of joy I shared with my father up in the stands.
“My team mates will be friends for life.”
If you can’t recall the infamous hairstyles the men’s triples fashioned for the finals there was a little bit of yellow and a little bit of green and photos that will haunt Wayne Turley for a lifetime.
Wayne Turley says the green and gold hair styles were done before the final by the village hairdresser and was a set up by team mates Kelvin Kerkow and Mark Casey.
“It was only supposed to be a couple of hair colour tips but ended up the full works; I was shattered and did not want to come out of my room to play final,” said an embarrassed Turley.
“Case then gave me a few green stripes but my cap stayed on most of the game until we won gold and the hair did not matter at all.”
Gold in the women’s pairs was delivered by the hands of Karen Murphy and Lynsey Clarke (nee Armitage) in an exciting final against Scotland’s Kay Moran and Joyce Lindores; both of which have immigrated to Australia since the games.
Who could forget the images of Murphy and Clarke being lifted up on their team mates shoulders after the final bowl had been delivered, saluting their family, friends and fans in the crowd.
Lynsey Clarke has continued her career and is now the inaugural Australian Captain whilst Karen Murphy is still at the top of her game after an unprecedented 500+ games for Australia.
Karen Murphy says there is nothing like the feeling of playing a home games.
“Winning a gold medal in front of your family and friends is the ultimate in sport,” said Australia’s most capped international bowler.
“There is no feeling l like it, it was the pinnacle of my career.”
One of Australia’s most decorated bowlers Kelvin Kerkow was known by many before the 2006 Commonwealth Games but after his remarkable victory in the coveted men’s singles event Kerkow was now known by everyone!
No one needs to be reminded of that post-game celebration; it was like no other celebration ever seen before on a bowling green when Kerkow ripped off his shirt, he instantly shot to fame both inside and outside of the bowling community and his peers were never going to let him forget it.
Kerkow says the short version of the story started with a little banter with team mate Barrie Lester prior to the games.
“Barrie was playing with Nathan Rice in a grand-prix final against myself and Brett Duprez; after Barrie won he took the liberty of showing me a glimpse of his 6 pack,” Kerkow began to recall.
“I said to Barrie that if I win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games I’ll go further than just a lift of the shirt, I’ll rip the whole thing off.
“I hadn’t given my rash statement anymore thought until that exact moment when so much relief and joy came over me after winning gold, and off it went.”
Kerkow says that sense of relief and joy came from being the last event on the program and having watched so many of his team mates win gold before him.
“It was an absolute thrill to be selected to represent Australia at a Commonwealth Games and to play the singles was an even greater honour, but with that came a lot of added pressure,” said Kerkow, now affectionately known as 43 by his mates courtesy of his post-game celebration.
“The pressure that was building prior to the games, the pressure of being the final event on the program, the last role of the dice, the expectations everyone had on you to win and when it was one set all and one all in the tie-break, that’s where the real sense of relief came over me.”
It’s hard to believe it has been 10 years since our bowlers represented us with such distinction at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.
The bar has been set very high for Australia’s performance at a ‘home games’ and with the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games fast approaching, will we see another history making performance by our Jackaroos?
Will the likes of Mark Casey, Lynsey Clarke, Nathan Rice, Barrie Lester and Karen Murphy still be representing Australia at Broadbeach in April 2018?
There are exciting times ahead for our elite bowlers and plenty more memories to be made.
Happy 10 year anniversary to our 2006 Commonwealth Games Team-
Women’s singles- Maria Rigby
Women’s pairs- Lynsey Clarke, Karen Murphy (gold)
Women’s triples- Noi Tucker, Roma Dunn, Ceri-Ann Davies (silver)
Men’s singles- Kelvin Kerkow (gold)
Men’s pairs- Barrie Lester, Nathan Rice (bronze)
Men’s triples- Bill Corhnels, Wayne Turley, Mark Casey (gold)
Caption- Today we celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games and all that was achieved by our record breaking Australian bowls team.
