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Prestigious para bowls competition coming to Bristol
A south Bristol sports club is set to make national history when it hosts the first ever EIBA Para Open Singles Championship, bringing elite para athletes from across the UK to the city.
The one-day championship will take place at Bristol Indoor Bowling Club on Saturday.
Competitors who will be playing in Ashton Vale include Commonwealth Games athletes and bowlers who have competed at World Championships.
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Alongside visiting athletes, the event will feature familiar local competitors, offering spectators a rare chance to watch top-level para bowls in Bristol.
Emma Price, a Bristol-based para bowler who worked with the English Indoor Bowling Association (EIBA) to help create the event, said the championship is about elite sport and local pride.
Price said: “The purpose of elite competition is to allow the best players to perform at their best.
“This event follows the same principles as the EIBA Open Singles Circuit – high standards, quality opposition and meaningful competition – while recognising that excellence looks the same, even if the route to it is different.”
Matches will be played in a new format of two five-end sets (or one-hour matches) across eight rinks, designed to balance performance with accessibility.
The format will also be used as a pilot for future para competitions.
Bristol Indoor Bowling Club on South Liberty Lane was chosen to host the event due to its accessible facilities and inclusive approach to sport.
Price highlighted the impact this has for visiting athletes: “Having a different-ability-friendly facility like Bristol makes a huge difference.
“Motorised wheelchairs and adaptive aids being available removes barriers many players usually have to plan around before they even enter a competition.”
The event is open to spectators, and members of the public are encouraged to come along and support the players from 9am on Saturday.
Main photo: Emma Price / EIBA
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