Topping winning a medal while representing your country at a major tournament on your 21st birthday would be a difficult feat - but Ian McClure managed it.
McClure won a bronze medal in the men’s fours lawn bowls on his milestone birthday at his first Commonwealth Games in Victoria in 1994.
Four years later in Kuala Lumpur he struck gold in the same discipline.
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McClure, who plays his club bowls for Portrush, has been selected for his sixth Commonwealth Games which start at the end of July in Birmingham.
“It was my 21st birthday and I celebrated with a bronze medal in 1994 in Victoria, Canada. They are fantastic memories and I followed that in '98 with a gold so I’m looking for that elusive third medal,” said McClure.
“I’m very pleased indeed to be selected, it is a great honour to represent Northern Ireland once again. It is a very hard selection process so delighted to get the nod.
“I think with the current strength of our men’s squad you don’t get the opportunity to be blasé, certainly that is not the way I approached it.
"I probably worked harder than ever last year to try and make the squad and please with the end result, but the work only begins now.”
The fours that won the gold medal in 1998 included Neil Booth and Martin McHugh (Gary McCloy was the other member of the team) and both with be in Birmingham.
Booth is the Lawn Bowls team manager while McHugh is going to a seventh Commonwealth Games to compete in the pairs and the fours.
“I have a lot of history with Neil and Martin who is also still playing in the side, two great bowlers and to great guys," he added.
“We have a lot of history together and a lot of positive stuff which will put us in good stead come August time.
“The men’s team probably three experienced players with Gary Kelly, Martin McHugh and myself and there are two new stagers in Sam Barkley and Adam McKeown.
“The Ladies team has undergone a little bit of a revamp but a lot of strong potential there and it wouldn’t really surprise me if they went really well.”
Northern Ireland have won 20 medals on the bowling green at Commonwealth Games and McClure is hoping to add to that collection.
“We are very aware of our rich history at Commonwealth Games, and we have the experience and the talent to do well but the other nations are also improving all the time," he said.
"There is more money going into the sport globally so the competition is tough, and it is certainly not getting any easier however I believe we can do well.
“A medal is always the target, however nothing is a given bowls is all on the day. We know we are good enough to do very well but what does very well translate into let’s wait and see fingers crossed, we’ll certainly batting 100% to deliver something back home.”
McClure compete in the triples and fours in Birmingham.
"I’m skipping the triple and third in the fours to Martin McHugh so very pleased to be involved and very pleased with the positions and looking forward to the outdoor season kicking off in April," he said.
“Basically, a skip in layman’s terms is the boss dictating the play, calling the tactics, call the shots, being the leader, be the communicator, try to improve performance, manger your own performance and basically be manager of the team.
“It is something I enjoy but maybe it is nice when you are not skipping and don’t have that responsibility so maybe I have the best of both worlds skipping in the triples and playing third in the fours.”
The real work for the games starts now.
“Last season was very intense, a lot of analysis, a lot of play, a lot of competition for places and obviously a lot of disappointment for those that weren’t selected and a lot of elation for those that were," he added.
“The hard work starts now 50% of the work done and 50% to do.”
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