60 seconds with: Gerald Reive

Gerald Reive as a wireless operator in the Falklands.

77-year-old bowler representing the Falkland Islands in Glasgow this year.

Q: Gerald, this is your second Games after Delhi. How did you originally land a spot on the team?

A: Our former chef de mission [Patrick Watts] happened to call into Auckland on his way home and George Paice, my bowling pairs partner, is a great indoor bowler. Patrick asked, "How do you think you'd go outdoors?" He suggested George and I go to Delhi and we said, "Oh yeah, okay." It was marvellous to get a couple of wins against some of the best in the world.

Q: How are you preparing for Glasgow? Are you churning through episodes of Taggart?

A: Yeah, we watch quite a bit of Taggart. Hopefully the trip doesn't go down the lines of one of those plots. [Wife and bowls team manager] Shirley is flat out communicating with the Falklands to get everything sorted. We also have a roll up most days. I enjoyed the last Games but this one will have an added bonus with my son Michael on the team. We've been playing together 25 years.

Q: Who pays to get you to Glasgow?

A: They [the government] fund the lot. I don't ask questions ...

Q: What about diet? Will you be queuing for deep-fried Mars bars?

A: They wouldn't do me any good. I'm a diabetic so I'll have to stay away, but we do love trying local fare in other countries.

Q: You would've loved Delhi then?

A: Aw, no. We were a bit weary after striking a spot of Delhi Belly, as it were. Once you get that, you're struggling.

Q: You've lived in New Zealand since 1958, married Shirley in 1962 and started playing bowls at the Papatoetoe Hunters Corner club in 1989. What are your memories of Falklands life?

A: I was brought up there and took Shirley back about 12 years ago. We had a lovely time but it's expensive travelling through South America to get there. As much as we'd like to go back regularly, it hasn't been possible.

Q: What did you do for a crust back then?

A: I was a wireless operator sending Morse code telegrams around the world. However, I could see the writing on the wall that technology was going to take over so I didn't continue it here.

Q:How about sports?

A: I played football as a skinny little runt on the wing. We only had three teams but in six seasons I was lucky enough to take five winners' cups.

Q: How stressful was it living in New Zealand with the Falklands War going on in 1982?

A: It was a big worry because I still had a brother and a lot of relations and friends there. We listened every day and read the papers but didn't have much communication while the war was going on.

Q:How did a sheep end up on the Falklands flag?

A: When I lived there, that was the main industry: shipping wool and meat. Today there's a big income from fishing licences and tourist ships.