Prospect of home 2026 Commonwealth Games drives Fehlberg
Vision-impaired bowler Jake Fehlberg says that the prospect of another home Commonwealth Games in 2026 would be sensational following his experience winning gold on the Gold Coast in 2018.
In February, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) began dialogue with the state of Victoria in relation to hosting the 23rd edition of the event, which it last did in 2006 when Melbourne and the MCG played host to moments forever etched into sporting folklore.
Speaking on Vision Australia Radio’s ‘Leisure Link’ program, Fehlberg said he was excited at the possibility of being involved in another home games should he be selected, as the opportunity to compete on the big stage on home soil is a thrill for any athlete, while recounting his fond memories of Gold Coast in 2018.
“Not just for the sport of bowls, but for any athlete to have the chance to be competing in their home country gives so many more people [friends and family] a chance to see the event,” he said.
“In 2018, I was actually living on the Gold Coast at the time, so it allowed a lot of my friends and family that had never seen me represent Australia come and watch the gold medal match.
“That was such an amazing experience not only for me, but for the rest of my friends and family.
“It was a pretty good feeling to know that our medal counted as much as anybody else’s.”
Directed by his father Grant on the green, Fehlberg is striving for more success in 2022 at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, labelling his experience on a UK tour in 2019 as pivotal for the upcoming few months.
“I’m still in the process of trialling to be a part of the next Commonwealth Games in Birmingham,” he said.
“I’m still pursuing the next major milestone to make the team and win a gold medal in the Northern Hemisphere.
“We actually went to the UK in 2019 as a long term preparation for the Birmingham Games, so I’ve got that experience up my sleeve, and I learned a lot from that tour having never been overseas before.”
