Moloney embracing world title bid
It is not every day that an agricultural science student has a chance to win a world title at a sporting event, but South Australia’s Right at Home Pathways Jackaroo Grace Moloney finds herself in that very situation.
The 20-year-old will partner Jamaica’s Martin Edwards in the mixed pairs competition at the World Bowls Indoor Championships at the Warilla Bowls and Recreation Club in May as one of four Australian women selected as fill-in bowlers for the discipline.
Speaking on Bowls Australia’s (BA) ‘The Right Line’ podcast, Moloney admits she was initially shocked to receive the call from National Assistant Coach Karen Murphy AM, but as soon as the enormity of the news hit home, she was on the phone to her father immediately.
“I think I’m still in a little bit of shock myself and when people wish me congratulations I still actually can’t believe it, but it’s a great opportunity and I’m looking forward to it” she said.
“Kaz rang me during a lunchtime break and I thought I can’t miss a call from her, so I left my half-eaten wrap and answered the phone and with our Pathways Coach Matthew Northcott leaving I thought she was ringing about that.
“Then she told me that I had been selected to play in the World Bowls Indoor Championships and I didn’t really believe it at first but it kind of sank in afterwards and I couldn’t wait to go and tell my dad who was the first person I told.”
When it comes to her teammate in Edwards, Moloney has not had any correspondence as of yet but looks forward to connecting ahead of the tournament.
“I would like to reach out but sometimes you don’t know how when it’s someone overseas but I’ve read a little bit about him and his dad was in Jamaica’s Commonwealth Games team last year,” she said.
“Other than that I haven’t had too much time to sit down and read more.”
Australia’s representatives at the tournament will be the rampaging Aron Sherriff and Kelsey Cottrell, both of whom sit at number one in BA’s National Player Rankings, and while the prospect of possibly facing off against the pair is a daunting challenge, Moloney is simply just excited.
“I think it would be wicked to play against them,” she said.
“It’s one opportunity to play for your country but then to take on your own nation is weird but a great opportunity at the same time.
“Whenever I would get to take on players like them would only be at the Australian Open or The Nationals so to play them in a different setting again is awesome and I hope we do get to play against them.”
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