There are no limitations to a person's ability and to prove it, David Monk is a New Zealand sporting title holder - and a blind one at that.
The Pyes Pa man is one of 30 lawn bowlers who have taken to the greens in Tauranga this week for the New Zealand Blind Bowls Championships at Gate Pa.
At age 44, Mr Monk developed glaucoma and gradually lost his sight, becoming completely blind in 1998.
A stint doing blind sailing led him to meet people who were also blind lawn bowlers and he was encouraged to give it a go.
Having previously played bowls when he had vision, he wasn't sure how he would get on blind. But 12 New Zealand titles later and the current runner-up for the world title in the singles, Mr Monk is proof disability doesn't mean inability.
The competition started on Monday and runs until Thursday.
Players are assessed and categorised into sections of totally blind, partially blind or partially sighted and compete in various divisions to win their New Zealand titles.
Yesterday, bowlers played three rounds of singles and will play four rounds today.
On both Wednesday and Thursday they play four rounds of pairs. The public is invited to come and watch.
Guided by his wife Kath, Mr Monk, 67, had his chocolate-coloured guide dog Warner was on the sidelines watching his every move, and so was selector Tony Marinkovich of Browns Bay.
Mr Marinkovich is this week on the look out for 12 players to represent New Zealand in Paramatta, Australia next year in the Transtasman Series.
Full-sighted, Mr Marinkovich was yesterday in awe of what he saw.
"We've run a couple of blind tournaments to raise money and had to be blindfolded ourselves. It was a challenge, an absolute challenge and it just makes you realise what these people go through every day. They have a gift, an inbuilt homing device if you like, and it just makes you appreciate the daily grind they have to go through.
"I think they're amazing. A lot of able-bodied people can't bowl as good as this."
HOW IT WORKS
Many of the players require guides or coaches working on the green to assist them in their game.
Players are told how far the jack is in front of the mat, so they can gauge the length, and the weight they have to play their bowl.
The clock system is often used to guide bowlers and some directors even have brail boards.
A mark or badge on the bowl also indicates the bias is on the right side.
No bias as blind bowlers roll out skills
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