PICTURED are Abergavenny Bowls Club’s Welsh Open Pairs Champs Gethin Hill and Matthew Vale who will be representing Wales this June in the UK Open Pairs Championship in Belfast.

The dynamic duo won the Welsh Open Pairs championship in August last year after battling through a series of rounds to take the title at Llandrindod Wells.

Matthew’s Vale’s proud mother, Mary Vale, told the Chronicle, “Bowls and bowling clubs have long been thought of as the domain of the retired older. This is simply not true. More and more younger people are becoming interested in the sport

“This is partly due to more coverage by the media but also due to the success of local boys such as Matthew and Gethin who have really put Abergavenny on the map.”

Mary added, “It’s a tremendous achievement and on behalf of all their friends and colleagues I’d like to which them the best of luck in Belfast, you’ve done both your town and your club proud.”