Leases’ Nici bags two silver medals at Commonwealth Games
'It was an honour to represent South Africa'
Nici Neal participated in the recent Commonwealth Games that took place in Australia and brought home two silver medals.
Nici, who is a member of the Leases Bowling Club, said it was a huge honour for her to represent South Africa at the games, and explained, “I have been playing for 22 years, and was very excited when I heard I’d been chosen as part of the South African team to go to the games, as I believe it is the highest achievement that can be reached in the sport.”
For Nici, the experience was one that she will not forget soon. She said, “We arrived a week before the official start of the games, which enabled us to practise on their greens. We stayed in the newly built Commonwealth Games Village, which was very neat and tidy, and it was amazing to see – and rub shoulders with – so many athletes from different sporting codes in real life. The host nation, Australia, was very professional and everything ran smoothly. It was an unforgettable experience to be able to compete in front of such big, rowdy crowds, and, even though it was nerve-wracking, we were able to keep our focus and concentrate on our games.”
She participated in the women’s lawn bowls fours and pairs categories and said, “In the fours I was teamed with Elma Davis, Anneke Snyman and Esmé Kruger. We played against Australia in the gold medal match, and narrowly lost by two shots, resulting in us winning a silver medal. In the pairs, I played with Colleen Piketh against Malaysia. They beat us by one shot, resulting in a second silver medal. I was fortunate to have had such amazing teammates.”
Nici added that, even though they lost out on the gold medals, they did their very best and continued fighting to ensure they made it to the finals. “I am just so blessed to have won two silver medals, and there are no words to describe the joyful emotions I experienced, standing on the podium during the medal ceremonies. I hope we have made South Africa proud,” she said, smiling.
She concluded with the following message, “Bowls is not just for elderly people, and can be played by everyone – no matter who you are. If you believe in yourself, it is never too late to achieve your dreams. Keep at it, and never give up, just look at me – I have been playing for 22 years, and now I have competed at the Commonwealth Games, and brought back two silver medals!”
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