Fiji lawn bowls make winning start

Fiji’s lawn bowls team has opened its Commonwealth Games campaign in Scotland on a high, recording victories over England and Botswana to build early confidence. The opening day delivered a major boost for the three-member squad, with Fiji’s men’s singles representative producing a standout performance against hosts England. Team Manager Usa Kalim says the victory was a significant achievement, especially against one of the strongest nations in the sport. “The men’s singles was a very tough game because we were meeting England. He was just focused on beating England and he did that. We were so excited.” Fiji’s winning momentum continued in the women’s pairs, with Litia Tikoisuva and Losalini Tukai defeating Botswana by one-and-a-half sets. “The women then came out in their first game in the pairs and Litia and Loselini beat Botswana by one and a half sets. It was a good start to the competition.” Despite competing with a reduced squad and only entering two disciplines — men’s singles and women’s pairs — Kalim says the team’s focus remains on achieving success. “Everyone wants to win a medal.” Following a strong opening day, Fiji’s lawn bowlers will now look to maintain their momentum as they continue their Commonwealth Games campaign.