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JAMIE WALKER: PASSION, PRIDE AND THE PERSUIT OF PERFECTION |
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A world champion, Commonwealth
Games silver medallist and multiple national title holder, Jamie
continues to inspire both on carpet and on grass. Here he talks about his passion for the sport, his biggest achievements and what's next. Five things to love about bowls For Jamie, it all starts with one thing, competition, but he acknowledges that's made even better with the right people: "I love competing whether that be singles or in team events and I'm lucky enough to be able to do that with some good friends," he said. "That makes it even more enjoyable when you have success, and even more agonising when you don't get over the line, which happens a lot in this sport! "The social side that comes with that also, I've made some great friends within the sport whether that be at international/county and club level." That bowls offers a unique chance for players of all levels to test themselves against elite competition is important to Jamie: "Not many sports give you the chance to play against the very best players at any stage of their bowls careers." He also admits the game has a way of getting under your skin: "I like addictive bowls is, there are so many different skills you need to be able to compete on all the different surfaces you come up against, whether that be trying to work out how a rink plays or adjusting your delivery to the speed of the rink, it's certainly something I've not mastered yet!" Perhaps most rewarding of all has been the travel: "I've been able to travel all over the world playing bowls, I've been to places I would never have been to if it wasn't for the sport and that's something I'm very grateful for." Five biggest achievements Jamie's list of accolades is long, but a few moments stand out - even if ranking them is tough. "They are all special for different reasons but winning the world indoor singles championships at Potters in 2023 is probably number one," he admits. "With the coverage it gets from television, I've obviously watched for many years growing up being from a bowling family and I'd imagine before I even started playing the game competitively. To win on that blue rink against players who have been there for years, is something that has proved to be very difficult over the years. It's a special place to play bowls!" A close second? His 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games silver: "To represent England at the Commonwealth Games is the pinnacle within our sport and to do that on home soil as well was extra special," he said. "This is one of the biggest disappointments and biggest achievements I've had in the game, the Commonwealth silver medal in the pairs. To come up just short in that final was tough to take but the team as a whole had a great few weeks in Leamington and those were some of the best memories I have in the game." Another unforgettable high came on his first trip to the Southern Hemisphere: "Winning World Triples Gold in New Zealand in 2016 has to be in there. To go from taking a day or two to just keep bowls on the rink, to then two weeks later winning a gold medal was ridiculous to be honest. Rob and Andy played awesome and winning anything in southern hemisphere conditions which are completely alien to anything we play on against the world's best is extremely tough." He's also proud of a rare domestic achievement: "Completing the set of winning all the English singles titles indoors and outdoors is something I'm very proud of. (Two Bowl, Singles, Champ of Champs, Under 25s)." And finally, a nod to a modern, fast-paced Australian competition that's pushing the sport forward: "Being asked to go over and play in the BPL was awesome. The event itself is top drawer and you are competing against some of the best players in the game, there is no hiding place at all. The guys at St Johns Park have been great and I can't thank them enough for asking me to be part of their bid to get into the BPL setup and hopeful I'm able to help them try to get a few steps further at the upcoming events." Staying motivated For Jamie, motivation comes naturally - he just hates to lose. "My practice has probably taken a hit over the last couple of years, just with logistics of where we live it's quite a distance from the club to just pop in," he admitted. "Most of my practice is in game time and early rounds of competitions. "Saying that I've never been one to over-practice, I just like to feel like my delivery is in a good place and I'm delivering the bowl how I'd like to. This game is more mental than anything and if you feel good about your game that normally transfers into game time." A historic fours win At this year's EIBA National Championships, Jamie helped secure a third successive national fours title with Torquay United. But he acknowledges it wasn't an easy path: "We had plenty of hard games on the way," Jamie said. "In the area final against Rob Paxton's four we were behind for the majority of the game and only managed to get the win by the barest of margins. "At the nationals I would have said that each game had its own difficulties - the Egham guys started off fantastic against us and held a fair few counts against us early doors." But familiarity with the Nottingham carpet proved crucial. "It's a big advantage with the nationals having been at Nottingham for a fair few years now," Jamie said. "We've played on a lot of the rinks there several times and that's a big help if you find yourself in trouble early on but you have an understanding of what shot is available to you on the rink. "In the final we played a quality four and are all international standard players, Dom especially over the last couple of seasons has been playing outstanding. But we managed to get off to a great start and then the game is easier to control and everything feels like there is slightly less pressure when you've got a little buffer on the scorecard. "We certainly don't take winning these titles lightly but winning three in a row can't have been done too many times and I'll be hopeful we can give it another good go next year." What's next? Jamie is now looking forward to the outdoor season, for which he has a few aims: "I'd definitely like to get one of the outdoor team events on the CV, been close down the years getting to the later stages several times but outdoor nationals are tough to say the least. "Obviously the news about the Commonwealth Games and bowls being included is great - whatever capacity that is - so I'd like to hope I'm putting myself in the frame for selection for that next year." Sian Honnor. We' d love to know what bowls means to you, get in touch at info@eiba.co.uk Previous Article - Interview with disabled bowling champion John Greaves |
May 2025
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