Australian Disability Championships 2022 preview

The 2022 National Tenpin Bowling Championships for Persons with a Disability is set to get underway at Oz Tenpin Epping, Victoria from 8-18 June. 

In its 33rd year, it all began with a group of bowlers, carers and parents running the first five championships starting in 1989. Since then it has grown into one of the largest single sporting events in Australia for people with an intellectual or physical disability.

It will be the first Championship since 2019 where bowlers from across Australia have the chance to come together after COVID-19 restrictions saw the 

The Championship, which allows bowlers around the country to compete and socialise in various grades and events, is held in conjunction with the Australian Disabilities Tenpin (ADT). 

The 11-day festival of bowling will see bowlers compete in singles, doubles and team (3 bowlers per team) events. In addition, there is the All Events, which is when participants compete and provide scores in all three events –singles, doubles and teams.

On Friday 17 June, the Masters events – Open, Classic and Restricted, will all take place with defending champions and State Master winners all receiving automatic entry to the final. 

Adam Sutherland and Corey Hanson will return to defend their 2021 titles, having taken out the Open and Classic Masters events respectively. 

This year’s event has seen the Open State Team Challenge has been renamed the Michael Cooke Memorial Shield in honour of former President of Australian Disability Tenpin Michael Cooke who passed in 2020.

The former National Disability Championships Tournament Director played an integral role in the ADT since his first involvement in 1996 when he participated in the event as a bowler. 

He helped to connect ADT and TBA which saw their respective national disability events combined to form one single event in 2008.

The event, taking place on Wednesday 15 June, is one of the premier representative team events of the Championships alongside the Cole Cup State Team Challenge.

The events will see teams from the New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory, Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia competing.

Queensland are the defending champions in the Cole Cup and will be looking to defend their title from 2021 while NSW will be looking to do the same being the reigning Open State Team Challenge champions.

During the 2022 Australian Disability Championships the Australian Disabilities Tenpin will have their Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 14 June.

Click here to view all the information regarding the event.

The Event Team have noted that for tomorrow, Wednesday 8 June, there are 2 singles available at 8am and 7 teams available at 9.45am – you can reach out to the team for more information or go to the Tournament Office to enquire about availability across the whole event!

Merchandise will also be available every day from 10 – 2pm.

Cole Cup Teams List

New South Wales
Amy Rennick
Aimee Smith
Richard Foster
Tim St Clair
Peter Smith
Harry Woodhouse
Renee Waters
Kyle Rauch (Reserve)

Australian Capital Territory
Hayley Flanigan
Damien Flanigan 
Michelle Cook
Biljana Boskov
Anthony Woodward
Ian Rosenbaum
Nathaniel Button

Northern Territory
Amanda Rogers
Kate Copley
Scott Stevenson
Lisa Tiernan
Margaret McGregor

Queensland
Hayden Black 
Pat Madden
Hayden Bridgeland
Ronan Oxley
Robert Clark
Joshua Kelly
Kate Juillerat
Michelle Hardie – Carer

Tasmania
Michelle Heald
Kai Jenkins
Daniel Thomson
Wendy Brown
Nic Milner (W,C,R) 
Braydon Gebel 
Johnathon Goss 
Mathew Midgley

Victoria
Kelly Preer
Simone Brady
Jacqui Wojcik
Jess Livingston
Beau Gruen
Penelope Smith
Lisa McLeish

Western Australia
Anne-Marie Foster
Geoff Holloway
Graham McGee
Jean Lock
Jon King
Tina Festegiante