2:00pm Friday 3rd September 2010
By Owen Houlihan
TROWBRIDGE’S Graham Shadwell had a little home help as he gave his preparation for his Commonwealth Games appearance in Delhi next month a big boost last weekend.
The 35-year-old, who is part of England’s triples side going for gold in India, teamed up with wife Debbie, 37, to win the National Mixed Pairs title for Wiltshire in Sussex last Saturday.
The husband and wife duo clinched victory at the Beach Park House venue in Worthing, defeating Sue Willmott and David Richardson, from Lindfield Bowls Club in Sussex, 26-14 in the final to lift the trophy.
Earlier the couple, who live in Dursley Road, had breezed through the last 16, quarters and semi finals with wins over pairs from Surrey, Gloucestershire and Warwickshire – who included Graham’s Commonwealth Games teammate Simon Gilbert – respectively It is the second time in three years that the Shadwells have tasted success on the national stage.
They were also members of the Wiltshire quartet that landed the mixed fours championship at Worthing in 2007, alongside Kath Lloyd and Keith Hutchens.
Graham, who flies out to India on September 23 to finalise his preparations for the Commonwealth Games, said: “We were really pleased to win.
“We tend to play more indoor bowls together than outdoors, but we’ve played a few local tournaments together and we played quite well this time.
“Being a younger pair, we we were one of the few married couples playing together so it was good to have that bit of support for each other.’’ The duo play for different clubs in the county – Graham, a warehouse operative for Trowbridge’s PTS (Plumbing Trade Supplies) in Trowbridge, for Spencer Moulton, in Bradford on Avon.
Debbie, a purchase ledger clerk for Wilts Wholesale, plays for the Avon club (formerly Cooper Avon Tyres) in Melksham.
Graham will now turn his attention to Delhi and travels with the England team to Cumbria this Sunday for a warm-up match against a North Region Select team .
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