Well done to Eleanor Clark from the Kirkcaldy Blind Bowlers and Fair Isle Bowling Club who has won a silver medal in the BI category at the British Championships for Visually Impaired Bowlers organised by the UK Visually Impaired Bowls Association.
The Championships were held in Leamington Spa and run over three days and Eleanor just lost out on the gold medal on a count back of shots. Caroline Tait from the Fair Isle Club also competed in the B4 class in her first British Championships.
Eleanor is one of the most experienced and respected Disability Sport Fife bowlers. Eleanor’s sight has been deteriorating each year and she now bowls in class B1 which is the section for totally blind bowlers. Previously she bowled as a partially sighted bowler in the B2 class. The deterioration in sight has resulted in her having to make major adjustments in technique and forced her to use occlusion glasses. All B1 sports men and women across all sports use blacked out glasses or goggles to ensure fairness across the class.
Earlier in the year Eleanor won the B1 singles title at the 2016 National Championships organised by the Scottish Association of Blind Bowlers (SABB) at Ardgowan in Greenock. Eleanor’s regular director on the green is now Doreen Strachan from West Lothian. Eleanor has been selected by SABB to compete at the 2017 World Championships in Cape Town and she is hopeful that Doreen will be by her side.
Richard Brickley MBE
President, Disability Sport Fife