KIrkliston's Ceri Ann Glen’s hopes of achieving a glorious world double were dashed by Katherine Rednall as the reigning World Indoor Bowls champion proved too good in a fascinating Women’s Singles final at the Imagine Cruising World Championships.
Glen, who won this crown way back in 2008, when known as Ceri Ann Davies and playing for Australia, had already bagged the Mixed Doubles title with Stewart Anderson, but fell agonisingly short at the final hurdle on her first visit to Potters for 14 years.
Persuaded by her mother-in-law to enter a PBA qualifying event in Scotland late last year after only recently making her comeback to the sport, she won that to qualify for both this event and the Mixed Pairs.
And having won the latter competition, she was hoping to complete the fairytale in the Women’s Singles and looked well on course after taking the first set 12-7, with Rednall not displaying the sort of prowess the Potters crowd have come to expect from her on the portable blue rink.
Like the proverbial wounded animal, though, Rednall stormed back in the second, powering 9-0 ahead after just four ends and eventually taking the set 12-5 to trigger a three-end tie-break.
Rednall took first blood, Glen the second, but stood on the mat with the final bowl in her hand, the Welsh ace’s runner just missed the target with glory beckoning and Rednall was crowned the champion, again, for a record fifth time.
“It felt like a battle and I enjoy those,” said Glen. “Congratulations to Katherine, what a champion, she played some big bowls. She changed the tactics on me, took my lines away, she’s a smart cookie.
“It’s been sensational. I probably needed a few more weeks to warm up, but I’ll be back. It’s been a pleasure to perform again in my sport.
“I’ve had to cram 18 months into basically eight weeks. My mother-in-law persuaded me to enter the qualifying event and I never dreamt I would qualify for Potters again. I’ve only been back playing bowls for a few months and it’s gone pretty well.
"Katherine’s obviously had many years on the rink and knows it so well. But I’ve loved being back here and am looking forward to coming back again.”
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