Chris Rielly will continue a family trend when he competes in the Special Olympics world summer games in Los Angeles later this month.
The 38-year-old tenpin bowler will become the third family member to compete in the games, after brother Peter competed four years ago in Greece (basketball) and sister-in-law Deborah eight years ago in Shanghai (gymnastics).
Rielly, who has a learning disability, is one of 36 Kiwi athletes set to compete in the United States.
He has been tenpin bowling for 13 years and boasts a high score of 230.
Three other tenpin bowlers, all from the North Island, will compete in singles, doubles and as a team in Los Angeles.
Rielly, who runs and competes in a Friday night league at Bowl Line in Dunedin, is expecting the standard to be ''pretty good'' when competition gets under way next Saturday.
''I'd say most of the bowlers from other countries would be pretty good,'' he said.
''I'd say everyone will be around the 160 mark, if not higher. What I'm aiming for is to try and get a couple of 200 games over there and just trying to do my best.
''If I can win a medal over there, that would be another real good achievement.''
If Rielly can win a medal scuttling pins, he will join both Peter and Deborah Rielly as medallists.
Peter snared a silver medal four years ago, while Deborah came home with an impressive haul of four golds and a silver in 2007.
Chris Rielly is the only athlete from Otago competing in the games, which have attracted 7000 athletes from 170 countries.
''I'm pretty excited,'' he said.
''It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I'm pretty honoured to be picked.''
In addition to bowling, Rielly has played other Special Olympic sports such as basketball, indoor rowing and football.
He is a Special Olympics New Zealand global messenger, and graduated from a leadership programme in 2011.
Rielly usually bowls two rounds a week but has increased that to six since being picked to represent New Zealand.
He had one last round in Dunedin this week before leaving for Los Angeles.
Wife Kirsten and daughter Sophie (6) are not travelling with him.
The world games include aquatics, athletics, basketball, bocce, equestrian, golf, powerlifting and tenpin bowling.
Competition starts next Saturday and wraps up on August 2.
