The Para Physical Open Pairs bowls grand final had Howard Smith, Shepparton Park's Ross Higgins, Hill Top's Greg Toy and Michael Clark compete for gold.
In late April, at Kangaroo Flat Bowls Club, dynamic bowls pair Ross Higgins and Greg Toy came bounding home to secure their first gold medal as a duo.
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Higgins (Shepparton Park) and Toy (Hill Top) competed in the Para Physical Open Pair State Championships in Bendigo from April 21-22.
Toy had toyed with his opposition on previous occasions and had a handful of golds in his home collection already, but this was Higgins' first taste of the malleable metal after a string of silvers and a bronze at previous tournaments.
During the first day’s action, the duo won both of its section games.
The pair then strolled through its semi-final to book a spot in the grand final against Ballarat North’s Michael Clark and Clunes’ Howard Smith.
Higgins and Toy’s partnership proved too strong as they won the match 14 shots to six and deservedly had gold draped around their necks.
The dynamic duo of Ross Higgins and Greg Toy claimed bowls gold in Bendigo.
Toy has Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy — a genetic disorder resulting in the degeneration of muscle around his pelvis, hips and legs.
His partner in crime Higgins said the way his good mate had performed in the face of growing adversity had been incredible.
“You have to understand Greg and his disability to realise how special (the performance) is,” Higgins said.
“He has deteriorated over the last four years.
“Greg four years ago could actually walk up and down the green, stand up and then deliver a bowl, now his disease is taking him to the point where he has to sit down in what I call a jigger, but it is a three-wheeled motorised (scooter).
“He sits on his backside now and delivers with a shorter bowling arm out of the seat of the mobility scooter.”
Higgins has competed in para bowls competitions since his near-fatal motorbike crash in 2011.
The accident resulted in the loss of Higgins’ ability to use his dominant right arm.
Through such a traumatic experience, bowls was crucial in healing Higgins.
“The sport of bowls saved my life I reckon,” he said.
“To come to a grinding halt and do absolutely nothing (wasn’t good).
“From that point on I have bowled four days a week and I get a lot of support from my wife (Cathy) and a couple companies in town help me out financially as far as expenses go.
“Since the accident, I haven’t worked and have been fortunate enough to play bowls regularly and develop the left hand to a point where I am quite handy with it.”
After collecting their gold medals, Cathy was able to drive the winning pair home, meaning the boys could enjoy some well-deserved cold ones at the bar.
“We were way over in Bendigo and Greg had just had an operation so he couldn’t drive, so I was driving him to and from and I was fortunate my wife was able to come over with us and we had a few ales after the game,” he said.
“Nothing too drastic because I had to play singles the following day in the B7 category, so I couldn’t get too carried away.”
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