KEY POINTS:
A Commonwealth Games gold medal, New Zealand Order of Merit membership insignia and two Asia Pacific Games gold medals were among the items stolen when world champion bowler Sharon Sims' Palmerston North house was burgled on Sunday.
She said while the medals were "worthless" to anyone else they meant a "tremendous amount" to her and her family.
Personal jewellery, two digital cameras and fishing gear was taken along with Sims' haul of medals.
Sims told NZPA she was away for the weekend and her husband was out for about an hour, when the robbery happened.
It followed a spate of similar break-ins in the area, just outside Palmerston North's city limits.
Sims is one of New Zealand's most successful lawn bowlers and a three-time world champion.
She was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit on Queen's Birthday Weekend 2007, was Manawatu Sportsperson of the Year three times and has been Bowls New Zealand Player of the Year.
Her Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games gold medal was in the pairs with Jo Edwards.
Sims announced her retirement from international bowls in January.
She believed the thieves probably thought the medals were jewellery and would be "disappointed" to find they were not worth anything.
Many of them were engraved with her name and where they were won and she would love to get them back.
Sims suggested they could be taken anonymously to police or a local bowls club.
- NZPA
