The Blind and Vision Impaired Tenpin Bowling South Australia (BVITSA) team.
Sunday 6th November
By Ellen Baker
The Blind and Vision Impaired Tenpin Bowling South Australia (BVITSA) team, marked their first competition day at the Jupiters Pan Pacific Masters Games (JPPMG) today at Go Bowling Ashmore.
The competition and social bowlers group for the blind and vision impaired consists of four bowlers from Adelaide, who are competing over the course of the JPPMG in single, double and trio games.
The BVITSA was inaugurated in 2013 and competed in the 2015 Australian Masters Games in Adelaide, South Australia wining 14 medals consisting of 12 gold and 2 silver.
Members Desmond Warner,72, John Beacham, 76, Marie Ryan, 62, and Paul Cormack, 43, train every Friday at Bowland in Salisbury.
Competing with a telescope to enhance their sight, their impairment does not prevent them from achieving high scores as they bowled numerous strikes this morning alongside other competitors.
BVITSA Secretary John Beacham said they are the only blind and vision impaired team competing in the JPPMG.
“It is our first time entering and we want to take part in achieving what we can do, just because you are vision impaired doesn’t mean you can’t do things,” John said.
“If you set your mind to it, you can do anything!”
John spoke highly of his team members and what it means for them to be competing in the JPPMG.
“It feels good to compete because we love to take part and enjoy the company of other bowlers,” he said.
“Our goal for today is to bowl well and bring home some gold medals.”
The tenpin bowling competition continues on Wednesday 9th until Sunday 13th November.
The 10th biennial Jupiters Pan Pacific Masters Games is being held 5 – 13 November 2016 on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia.
The event showcases competition in 43 sports and is hosting 13,000 participants from Queensland, interstate and overseas.
