India win historic lawn bowls gold at CWG 2022 after thrilling win over SA

The Indian lawn bowls women’s fours team has created history by winning a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

It is India’s first medal in the sport and the team produced a great display in the final to outplay a strong South African team. The victory has given India its fourth gold medal of the campaign.

The ‘leader’ of the pack, 38-year-old Lovely Choubey is a constable with Jharkhand Police while Rupa Rani Tirkey, who too is from Ranchi, works in the state sports department.

Pinki, who picked up the sport accidentally during the 2010 CWG in Delhi, is a sports teacher with DPS R K Puram in New Delhi while Nayanmoni Saikia comes from a farming family in Assam and works in the state’s forest department.

In the semi-final against New Zealand, after conceding a 0-5 lead after the second-end, the Indian team made a strong back against the Kiwi team of Selina Goddard (lead), Nicole Toomey (second), Tayle Bruce (third) and Val Smith (skip).

After end-9, they were tied 7-7 but after end-10, India had taken a 10-7 lead. It was a close contest between the two sides, as New Zealand was marginally 13-12 ahead after end-14. A brilliant shot from Tirkey helped India seal the game with a 16-13 scoreline.