Touch of gold
Jono Davis returned from the Youth Commonwealth Games in Samoa with two gold medals in the singles and mixed pairs with Ellen Ryan as reported by the Daily Liberal. The trophy cabinet has filled a little bit more for Dubbo lawn bowls wunderkind Jono Davis.
The 14-year-old has just returned from competing at the 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa, with two gold medals in tow.
Davis spent last week playing off against some the world’s best 18 and under lawn bowlers, and recorded wins in both the men’s singles and the mixed pairs divisions.
“I played well over there and got a couple of gold, played against some good countries, good bowlers,” Davis said.
The Dubbo Railway bowler was one of the youngest players to take to the green in Samoa, beating out bowlers three and four years his senior to claim the men’s singles title.
His only loss came in the fifth round when he went down to New Zealand’s Seamus Curtin (21-17). Davis downed Malaysian Daeng Dhadyry Dahasry 21-12 in the semi-final to earn a rematch against the Kiwi, and found his form when it mattered, beating Curtin in the final.
“Against South Africa it was a tough game, but I got over the line by five shots,” Davis said of his round two win over South Africa’s Rowan Watkins.
“In the semi I beat Malaysia and I was pretty confident of beating New Zealand in the final.
“New Zealand was a pretty hard game in the final and I got him 21-14.”
Davis was partnered by 18-year-old Goulburn product Ellen Ryan in the mixed pairs division, which the pair took out undefeated.
Ryan narrowly missed out on helping Australia to a clean sweep of the lawn bowls, going down to New Zealand’s Ashleigh Jeffcoat 21-12 in the final of the women’s singles.
Davis began his lawn bowling journey seven years ago when his father got him into the sport and has made a name for himself after recording wins in state junior singles, South Pacific Junior Pairs and junior national championships across the years.
The Dubbo prodigy will now turn his attention to the Australian Under-18 Championships in the ACT later this month, and ultimately has his eyes set on the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
“Hopefully I can make the 2018 Commonwealth Games and win one or two gold there, or even a medal would be really nice,” he said.
Caption- The Daily Liberal reported on Dubbo’s Jono Davis who returned from the Youth Commonwealth Games with two gold medals
