Rolled gold Games’ aim
Cottrell to assess options after Games Kelsey Cottrell says she has a point to prove at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, as Steve Zemek reports for the Sunshine Coast Daily.
The Sunshine Coast product was yesterday named in the Australian squad to compete at the Games, starting in July.
Glasgow will be Cottrell’s second Commonwealth Games after being a reserve at Melbourne and winning bronze in the singles in Delhi.
Cottrell looked to be on track to win gold at the Delhi Games after producing standout efforts in the early rounds and she admits it still hurts that she only lost one match the entire tournament – a thrilling tie-break loss to New Zealand’s Val Smith in the semi-finals.
Head coach Steve Glasson is keeping his cards close to his chest and his charges hungry by not announcing which members of the five-strong women’s squad will play in which discipline.
Cottrell said she still hoped to earn a call-up to singles competition and was desperate to improve on her effort in Delhi.
Kelsey Cottrell hopes to add Commonwealth Games gold to her bronze snared in Delhi.
“It has been in the back of my mind that I want to go better than last time when I won bronze,” she said.
“It was such a good opportunity, to only lose one game which was a semi-final, I feel like I have something to prove and could go better.”
Cottrell was named in the squad alongside two-time Commonwealth Games competitor Lynsey Clarke, triples world champion Karen Murphy, NSW’s Natasha Scott and debutante Carla Odgers.
The Sunshine Coast’s Julie Keegan, who won silver in the triples in Delhi, was overlooked for selection.
While just 23, Cottrell says the Glasgow Games could be her international swansong.
She will graduate from Griffith University with a degree in journalism and sports management later in the year and says she expects work commitments will take over her life.
However, she has not ruled out playing on past Glasgow and will assess her options after the Games.
“I pretty much pinpointed the finish line and that I wanted to finish up this year and wanted to make the Games team,” she said.
“But I’m just playing it by ear.”
It could be (her last international competition) but I might not feel like it after the end of the Games. “I’m choosing to make the most of my degree in the sports industry but there may be the potential to keep competing.
“I don’t think people know how much goes into playing bowls.
“We trial and train for our country, we’re required to play for our state and we play for our clubs.”
