COLIN Evans can attest to the old adage that persistence pays off.

Evans, 82, has broken through for his maiden A grade pennants victory, taking the honours at the Gordonvale Bowls Club after 50 years in the sport.

The popular club member came close to realising the feat in 1988 when, after claiming the club’s B grade pennants title, he was denied the top grade honour when finishing runner-up to his brother Allan.

Instead, he had to wait almost 20 years to achieve his breakthrough victory, and it was one that he savoured.

"It was fantastic," he said of his belated triumph. "I was behind in every game I played in the lead-up to and including the final. I had to come from behind every time, it was just
persistence."

Although the club’s A grade title had eluded him, Evans has been a consistent performer in Far North Queensland bowls competitions, proving himself at pennants level throughout the region.

Evans’ decision to take up bowls in the Western Darling Downs township of Meandarra in 1958 was as much a result of geography as his desire to play sport.

"I was working at Condamine and I decided I’d start to play golf or bowls, whichever was closer," he said.

"The bowls at Meandarra turned out to be the closest to Condamine. I didn’t start playing golf until 1968 (at Gordonvale)."

Since linking with the Gordonvale Bowls Club in 1964 and the Gordonvale Golf Club four years later, Evans managed to combine his passion for both and is patron of the Far North Queensland Veterans Golf Association.

A former Queensland accredited bowls coach who also served as a national umpire, Evans still spends time guiding some of Gordonvale’s promising juniors.

He also spent a combined 20 years on committees for the Gordonvale clubs, 12 with the golf club and eight with bowls.

"I haven’t got time to get old," he said. "I just like to see the sports progress."

After waiting 50 years to get his name on the pennants honour board, Evans hopes he can capture a second title.

"I’ll be doing my best," he said. "I know I can do it now."

He will now hope to carry that form into this year’s Champions of Champions competition, featuring A grade pennants title holders from throughout FNQ.

Share this article