Scott and Thulborn crowned World Champion of Champions
Australian duo Natasha Scott and Scott Thulborn each claimed the coveted World Singles Champion of Champions at Club Helensvale yesterday. New World Singles Champion of Champions winner Natasha Scott is in the middle of the greatest run of success in her career but insists there is more to come, Tom Boswell reports for the Gold Coast Bulletin.
Australia were unstoppable on home soil with both Scott and South Australia’s Scott Thulborn taking out both the men’s and women’s competitions of the prestigious event at Club Helensvale yesterday.
Newcastle-based Scott won the opening two sets 10-6 and 7-4 to win the ladies final over Brunei’s Amalia Matali while Thulborn beat Wales bowler Jonathan Tomlinson 9-6, 7-4.
It is the first time Australia has won gold in both since Brett Wilkie and Kelsey Cottrell achieved the feat in 2009.
“I’m absolutely over the moon,” Scott said.
“It’s been a great week here and I’m absolutely thrilled to come away with a win. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy at the start of the week but to come away with a straight sets win in the final is fantastic.”
It continues an incredible run of form for Scott who has won the Australian Open, Australian Indoor Championships, World Triples Championship, Golden Nugget and Moama Premier Pairs Class in the past 12 months.
The 25-year-old will aim to add more titles to the list when she represents Australia at the World Bowls Championships in New Zealand next week while she is also eyeing next year’s World Cup.
Scott credited her long-running good form with a change in mindset adopted after struggling to cope with the pressures of the top level mentally.
“It’s probably the best year I have ever had in my whole 10 year career and I just put it down to having fun and taking each game as it comes,” Scott said.
“I’m taking it easy and not overdoing things or belting myself up if things go bad. It’s really helped me”
Adelaide’s Thulborn rated his victory the greatest win of his career after dominating a year after he was knocked out in the semi-finals.
“I was a bit disappointed going down in the semi-finals last year so it’s a real honour to find a way to win one — words can’t describe it,” Thulborn said.
“I knew when I was playing the last worlds that I had the double chance so I’ve had 14 months to think about this. I’m thrilled.”
Caption: Scott Thulborn and Natasha Scott have etched their names into the record books at the World Champion of Champions event at Club Helensvale on the Gold Coast. Photo courtesy of David Allen.
