George Miller, 75, becomes oldest gold medallist in Commonwealth Games history
Scotland’s George Miller became the oldest gold medallist in Commonwealth Games history after winning the para-bowls mixed pairs final in Leamington Spa at the age of 75.
Miller, who is lead director for partially-sighted team-mate Melanie Inness, succeeds his para-bowls team-mate, 72-year-old Rosemary Lenton, who briefly held the record after winning the women’s pairs title on Wednesday.
Scotland dominated their B2/B3 final against Wales, who also included a 75-year-old player in Gordon Llewellyn, pulling away in the final four ends to claim a comfortable 16-9 win.
“I’m reasonably pleased, but I think Rosemary is more pleased than I am,” joked Miller. “I was told I could be the oldest winner and I wondered what it meant, and now I’m starting to find out.
“It means a lot to me. I started bowling when I was 42 or 43 and progressed into coach. To be picked to play for Scotland is a dream.”
Miller’s role is effectively to act as an assistant for Innes, helping her to establish her line and describing plays and ends in progress.
It means a lot to me. I started bowling when I was 42 or 43 and progressed into coaching. To be picked to play for Scotland is a dream- George Miller
Team-mate Sarah Jane Ewing fulfils a similar role in the four-strong unit for Innes’ para-bowls team-mate, Robert Barr.
Innes said: “I couldn’t do it without George. You can’t see what’s happening or how the balls are running, so George has to give me the information so I can visualise it.”
Neither Miller nor his fellow 75-year-old Llewellyn, who had to settle for a silver medal, showed any inclination to take a backward step, with the Victoria Games in four years’ time already on the agenda.
“I don’t really think of my age,” said Llewellyn. “The