SPORT NEWS - Garden Route-based bowler Colleen Piketh has earned her spot in the prestigious World Bowls Tour, taking place in January at Potters Resort, England. 

A seasoned international, Piketh has represented South Africa in five Commonwealth Games and numerous World Bowls tournaments. For this honour, she was selected by the Professional Bowls Association (PBA) of South Africa.

Piketh moved to Mossel Bay from Johannesburg four years ago and currently plays for the George Bowling Club. "After having lived in Johannesburg, the drive from Mossel Bay to George feels like nothing to me," she says.

On how she was selected Piketh explains, "Bowls South Africa usually governs my events, but the World Bowls Tour is separate, run by the PBA". Each country's PBA holds qualifying tournaments, with winners earning spots in the Tour.

This year, Piketh reached the semi-finals in the PBA South Africa qualifying tournament, competing in a mixed-gender format. Although she narrowly missed the win, her PBA nominated her as South Africa's highest-ranked female member.

This led to her selection for the women's singles during the World Bowls Tour. Additionally, she'll partner with England's Jamie Walker, an international player, in the mixed pairs.

"It's a huge honour to represent South Africa in such a top-tier event," Piketh says. "The competition is televised and organised to the highest standards – I'm thrilled!"

Although she has played on an indoor green before in Australia, this will be her first time playing at Potters. "It's a golden opportunity to learn and grow," she notes.

"We'll even use special bowls designed for indoor play, which makes it more exciting."

With her impressive track record, Piketh is ready to shine on the global stage. "I'm humbled and incredibly excited," she says. "I can't wait to get started."

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