Oamaru's Peter Wylie returned to the gold medal spot at the New Zealand Disabled Bowls Championships in Blenheim last week.
Wylie proved he still had the desire to continue competing for New Zealand by winning the pairs title at the championships.
He was teamed with fellow North Otago bowler Stephen Walker and they beat Sally Engi (Manawatu) and Bryon Gibson (Canterbury) in the final.
Disabled sport gave Wylie a purpose in life after an accident 42 years ago that confined him to life in a wheelchair.
He tried several sports but it was skiing that gave him a buzz when he was younger.
He enjoyed the freedom that skiing gave him as he sped down the slopes faster than most able-bodied leisure skiers.
He took chances and had a number of injuries that led to a shoulder reconstruction 12 years ago.
He joined the Meadowbank club in Oamaru and bowls has been his sport for the past 12 years.
Wylie was pleased by his form and has his sights on returning to international bowls at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Queensland Gold Coast.
He made his international debut at the Disabled Bowls World Championships in Sydney in 2007 and competed again in South Africa in 2011 and in Wellington in 2015.
At the national championships at Dunedin last year, Walker finished runner-up in the pairs and was named the most improved bowler at the championships.
Walker, who plays for the Maheno club, moved up a bracket at this year's championships and won two gold medals.
His other title came in the triples when he teamed with Jane Ware (Manawatu) and Rod Abbot (Canterbury).
The singles title was won by the experienced Bruce Wakefield (Canterbury), who beat Linda Bennett (Waikato) in the tie-breaker.
There will be a qualifying tournament for Commonwealth Games selection in February and a number of international events leading to the Commonwealth Games.
New Zealand has a confirmed entry to the Asian Games in South Korea in October next year. There will also be a lead-in international event at Broadbeach, in Queensland, and the Trans Tasman at the Commonwealth Games venue.
