Birmingham 2022 experience fuels lawn bowler’s desire for Aussie success

Teenage hotshot Fynn Kyser is targeting gold at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Australia after being bowled over by Birmingham's brilliant bonanza, writes Tum Balogun.

The Leicester lawn bowls ace was there as part of the Team England Futures programme, which aims to give young athletes like Kyser the chance to get a feel of what a major multi-sport competition is like ahead of a possible future debut in the Commonwealth Games.

Kyser takes part in the B7 category in para bowls, which is for bowlers with minor difficulties with balance, and could potentially take part in future Games.

Should he do so, he would follow in the footsteps of team-mates Craig Bowler and Kieran Rollings who won the bronze medals in the men’s B6-8 competition at Leamington Spa.

Kyser took up lawn bowls eight years ago after seeing a bowling green from the balcony of a café after swimming at a local leisure centre and being invited to an open day for juniors.

Kyser has one more major event to come this year in the Para Home Nations at Weston-super-Mare in September and he is pleased with the progress he has been able to make recently.

“Over the past two years, I’d say I’ve really come on in my game,” Kyser said.

“I’ve really developed and made my England debut a few months ago in April, which was a big step up because before that I’d never really played anything serious nationally.

“It’s very recently that I’ve stepped up, so it really has been a rapid ascent.

“I feel like I’ve learned a lot here that I can take into my development, especially on the health side of it.”

Kyser is part of the Team England Futures programme, which aims to give young athletes like Kyser the chance to get a feel of what a major multi-sport competition is like ahead of a possible future debut in the Commonwealth Games.

This includes having a tour around the main athletes’ village and a behind-the-scenes look at some of the other facilities that have been provided to competitors, with Kyser already feeling the benefit of the educational aspect.

Those involved were honoured by a visit from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and Princess Charlotte, at the University of Birmingham.

The Duchess has been the patron of SportsAid since 2013 and she joined in a series of workshops to provide the athletes with some further insight on the mental challenges that lie ahead.

Kyser said: “I’ve taken in a lot about nutrition from sports like weightlifting because in my sport, lawn bowls, there’s not much said about health or anything.

“I feel being part of this level, with Team England Futures, that we’re getting to realise that health at this level is quite important.

“I’ll take away a lot about the nutritional aspect from the sports here.”

Commonwealth Games England has appointed SportsAid to lead on the development, management and operational delivery of Team England Futures at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. You can find out more about the programme by visiting https://www.sportsaid.org.uk/partnerships/team-england-futures/.