Bowls NZ
Tayla Bruce kept her cool to win gold in the women’s singles at the bowls world championships on Australia’s Gold Coast.
Christchurch bowler Tayla Bruce has struck gold on Australia’s Gold Coast.
The 28-year-old beat Canada’s Kelly McKerihen 22-18 to win the women’s singles title at the world bowls championships at the Helensvale Club on Sunday.
McKerihen led 18-16 after 22 ends but Bruce, who represented her country at the 2018 and 2022 Commonwealth Games, scored a three on the 23rd and 24th ends to snatch the title.
In doing so, she became just the third New Zealander to win the women’s singles crown after Elise Wilkie and Val Smith.
A bronze medallist in the fours and triples in Birmingham last year, Bruce had gone through section play unbeaten before seeing off Australia’s Commonwealth Games singles and pairs champion Ellen Ryan 21-10 in a thrilling semifinal.
She said being crowned a world champion for the first time was a “surreal” moment.
Bowls NZ
New Zealand’s Tayla Bruce, left, is all smiles after becoming a world champion.
“Honestly, that last end, all I am doing is preparing for the worst,” Bruce said as she reflected on her come-from-behind triumph.
“It is crazy when you have the game and you hold it. I managed to finally have confidence in my line. Once you have the confidence in your line then you just trust that the weight is going to come.
“It felt like I was letting them go with my fingertips. It felt like being back at Burnside [bowling club in Canterbury]. I thought with adrenalin they were going to go heavy but we stuck in there.
“It’s so hard to get to this point. It’s so difficult to make the final and I really wanted to make the most of the opportunity – it’s just unreal.”
Bruce is not the only New Zealander to enjoy a golden moment on the greens this weekend. Her compatriots Teri Blackbourn and Julie O’Connell also came up trumps in the inaugural Women’s Para Pairs event.
The Kiwi women’s fours of Katelyn Inch, Val Smith, Selina Goodard and Leeane Poulson also snared bronze after losing to England in their semifinal.
Bruce will have an opportunity to claim another medal when she competes in the women’s triples alongside Smith and Poulson during the second week of the championships.
