Marlene Castle to be Inducted into World Bowls Hall of Fame Marlene Castle has …
Marlene Castle to be Inducted into World Bowls Hall of Fame
Marlene Castle has been recognised for her outstanding contribution to the sport of lawn bowls through confirmation that she will be inducted into the World Bowls Hall of fame at the upcoming Commonwealth Games.
The World Bowls Hall of Fame recognises the sport’s most outstanding players and administrators , both past and present.
Other New Zealanders to be awarded this honour are Peter Belliss OBE, Rowan Brassey MNZM, Jo Edwards MNZM, Sharon Sims MNZM, Val Smith ONZM and Kerry Clark CNZM OBE.
It is a reflection of her exceptional ability that Marlene was first selected to play for New Zealand in only her sixth year of play!
On the international front she played in four Commonwealth Games:
1990; 1994; 1998 and 2002, winning 1 silver and 2 bronze medals.
She represented New Zealand at the World Bowls Championship in 1992; 1996; 2000 and 2004 collecting two silver and two bronze medals.
She also has an incredible record at the World Indoor Bowls Championships where she collected a gold and two bronze medals in the Singles and a silver in the Pairs.
Marlene’s been a Sportswoman of the Year Finalist twice in the Halbergs in 2000 and 2001.
Marlene was an inaugural Bowls New Zealand Hall of Fame Inductee in 2013.
At a domestic level she boasts countless Club and Centre titles as well as two National Champion of Champions Singles, the New Zealand National Fours and the New Zealand National Pairs titles.
Marlene retired from international bowls on her own terms, calling it quits in 2004 as her first grandchild was due in January of 2005 and she had promised herself that when her grandkids came along, all the energy and time she had devoted to bowls over the years would be redirected to the grandkids.
In recent years, Marlene has continued to maintain an interest in the game and has given back to the sport in a number of ways, including a stint as the National Selector.
Well done, Marlene!