Young Karkar set for bowls challenge

By MELTON PAIS
PIWEN Karkar, pictured, is reaping the rewards from the time and effort she’s committed to lawn bowls — the 23-year-old is now a proud member of the national bowling team to the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.
Karkar virtually grew up around the bowling green with her family avid bowlers on the Lae scene.
But just being around family members who had the passion for the sport did not automatically mean Karkar would be a natural.
She still had to put in the time required to be among the best female players in the country.
Karkar of mixed Morobe, Manus and Madang parentage earned her way through competing in tournaments both in her native Lae and in other parts of the country to accrue the experience and confidence to be deemed worthy of representing her country.
Karkar qualified for the Commonwealth Games by finishing eighth out of the 11 competitors at in last year’s World Youth Championships on the Gold Coast. She improved her ranking to sixth place earlier this year at the same competition in preparation for the Commonwealth Games.
Karkar’s first game will be at 4pm today against Australia in the women’s fours at the Broadbeach Bowls Club. Karkar said making the national team was a proud moment for her and her family and she would not let her teammates down.
Karkasr aid her interest in the sport was first kindled by watching her grandparents play and she eventually took it up as a primary school student and went from strength to strength. Karkar, who aspires to be an accountant one day, is upgrading her marks at Lae’s Polytech this year after completing grade 12 at Lae Secondary in 2015.
“I was heavily involved in the sport training and playing and didn’t complete my upgrading but I will concentrate on my studies when I return after the Commonwealth Games,” she said.
“I will do my best for my country and for my family.
“My main focus is to play my best and improve my ranking.”