Kenya’s hopes dashed as lawn bowl representative crashes out of GC 2018

Kenya’s hopes of a making a first-ever appearance in the Commonwealth Games Lawn Bowls quarterfinals were dashed Saturday morning after lone women representative Eunice Mbugua lost her final group game at the Broad Beach Bowls Club going down 19-18  to Cook Islands Nooroa Mataio.

Mbugua had started with high hopes after winning two games and losing two; needing a win in her last game to have any chance of qualifying for the final.

“I panicked when she started removing my balls by force that is when I started playing the way I had not planned; it made me change my tactic by trying to put my balls in a strategic position,” gutted Mbugua told Citizen Digital.

She went on:  “All in all I was sure that I was going to recover and win the match but lack was not on my side because we ran out of time.”

On day two Mbugua had started on a high note defeating Nelly Senna of Botswana 21-10 before losing by the same margin to Canadian Kelly McKerihen. She had earlier registered a 21-15 win over Catherine Wimp of Papua New Guinea.

The other Kenyan taking part in this event is Cephas Kimwaki Kimani in the Men Singles who is set to play Krishna Xalxo of India.

“I am well prepared and I know the challenge ahead of me, in Nairobi. I prepared very well and I had promised my friends back home that I ’ll bring the gold medal home. I know each country has brought their best for the event,” Kimwaki said.