Bowls: Medical marvel NZ Open star

Photo / Thinkstock

Shane Gibson, already something of a medical marvel, turned into a bowls marvel yesterday to provide the star turn on the opening day of the New Zealand Open's tournament proper at the Henderson club.

Gibson, little known outside the North Harbour centre, where he plays for the Birkenhead club, made a surprise entry into the men's singles semifinals, a top feat for any bowler but for Gibson, considering his medical history, an extraordinary one.

Ever since he underwent a bone-marrow transplant 22 years ago, aged 11, Gibson has suffered a series of near-fatal health setbacks.

The radiotherapy treatment he received affected his heart and kidneys and he has survived several heart attacks.

Unable to play most sports, Gibson took up bowls 11 years ago and quickly showed enough promise to be a regular centre junior representative, although as yet he has not won a centre title, being runner-up twice.

His aspirations were often hampered by his health issues.

But his game took on a new life three years ago when he had both a heart and kidney transplant which, judging by his immaculate draw bowls in difficult circumstances yesterday, has been eminently successful.

He reached tomorrow's semifinals in particularly impression fashion, beating Blockhouse Bay's Nick Thompson, who had also enjoyed some giant-killing results, including eliminating 18-year-old prodigy Ryan Khan - the latest from a famous family - 21-3.

The other semifinalists are Rawhiti's Mike Bradshaw, who beat national squad member Shayne Sincock (Canterbury) 21-6 in the quarter-finals, Papakura's Raika Gregory and Waikato's Colin Lourie, who continued the good run he has had at PBA level.

Gregory was one of the day's big revelations, beating Commonwealth Games representative Danny Delany, then recovering from a 10-3 deficit to overcome experienced Wellingtonian Rob Ashton.

A blustery wind made upsets inevitable and among the casualties were Delany's Games teammates, Shannon McIlroy and Richard Collett.

The 2008 double world champion Gary Lawson also missed out on the last 16, beaten 21-19 by Auckland veteran Tony Holdsworth.

Upsets were also frequent in the women's singles at Blockhouse Bay, with Bay of Plenty's Marilyn McLeod qualifying for the final on Friday against experienced Northlander Anne Bateman, a former national champion.

Bateman, having earlier ousted another former national champion, Jo Babich, beat Lee Griffin of Wellington's Victoria club in yesterday's semifinals, while McLeod beat Liz Badenhorst, a second-year South African-born player from the Glendowie club.

In the quarter-finals Badenhorst caused a major surprise beating Carlton-Cornwall's experienced Bev Crowe in a 21-20 thriller.