Commonwealth Games 2022: Kent bowler Sian Honnor on her highs and lows in Birmingham which led her to Women's Triples glory

It was a summer to remember in Birmingham as Team England carried the hopes of a nation on their shoulders at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

There was a fair share of success for Kent athletes, too, including bowler Sian Honnor. She recalls the disappointment of being knocked out of the Women's Fours - before leading England to gold in the Triples.

A little over two weeks ago, I competed in my fourth Commonwealth Games and was lucky enough to come away with my fourth consecutive medal in the Women’s Triples lawn bowls event.

This alone is an incredible feat but the achievement of winning GOLD in front of a home crowd, which included my husband and two young sons, is something which will stay with me forever.

My two-year-old daughter even made her first fleeting bowls club appearance (she lasted a mere 20 minutes before being escorted, kicking and screaming from the stands) but looking up to see my three tiny tornadoes is a memory I will cherish.

The road to this home Games has felt challenging at times but for all the missed bedtimes, weekends away, times I have had to tell friends and family “sorry I can’t, I am bowling,” the many hours of practice and fitness training, to return with something tangible to show for the combined efforts of so many somehow makes it all worth it.

My Games experience was the epitome of the high and lows of sport at the highest level.

As lawn bowlers, we play in two disciplines, so my quest actually started off in the Women’s Fours.

We got off to the best possible start, defeating tough opposition, including India and Canada on the same day and finished at the top of the group. We then faced South Africa in the quarter-final and found ourselves chasing the game on a challenging green.

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